Department of Health and Social Care

Drugs: Costs

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the article in the British Medical Journal, Estimated costs of production and potential prices for the WHO Essential Medicines List, published on 29 January 2018, if he will make an assessment of potential changes to the costs of medicines in the UK.

Steve Brine: No such assessment has been made. The costs of branded medicines are controlled by the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and the statutory scheme for branded medicines. For unbranded generic medicines, the Department encourages competition between suppliers to keep prices down. In primary care, community pharmacies are incentivised to source products at the lowest possible cost and in secondary care competitive tenders ensure value-for-money to the National Health Service. Recent research published in the Milbank Quarterly demonstrated that the United Kingdom pays considerably less for unbranded generic medicines than other countries with a comparable income level.

General Practitioners: Training

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support GP placements for medical students.

Steve Brine: There are more people training to be general practitioners than ever before with a record 3,157 graduates entering general practice training in 2017-18. In October 2016 my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced a historic expansion of undergraduate medical education in England, by funding up to 1,500 additional medical school places in each year from 2019. The criteria for the award of these additional training places includes as a focus the need to include priority specialties such as general practice. Medical schools are responsible for setting education curricula at undergraduate level. Clinical placements are arranged locally to align with the requirements of medical schools and of local healthcare providers.

Hospitals: Transport

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's guidance to hospitals on parking principles, what the definition is of an economical journey to an NHS hospital in England.

Stephen Barclay: The published car parking principles confirm that National Health Service organisations should work with their patients and staff, local authorities and public transport providers to make sure that users can get to the site (and park if necessary) as safely, conveniently and economically as possible. 'HTM 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability' provides guidance to help NHS organisations comply with the car parking principles and identify best practice in car park management and sustainable transport. An economical journey does not have a specific definition in the guidance, but should take into account reasonable charges to users and the costs of providing the car parking incurred by the trust.

Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust: Reviews

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS Improvement and NHS England on implementing the recommendations of the Liverpool Community Health Independent Review, published in January 2018.

Stephen Barclay: I wrote to all of the organisations set out in Section 6 of the report (NHS England, NHS Improvement and the Care Quality Commission) asking them to confirm what steps they were taking to implement the review's recommendations. Both my original letters and copies of the responses from NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission and NHS England have been shared with the Health Select Committee and are attached. The Department is continuing to liaise with all of the national bodies with responsibility for recommendations in the report.



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Vitamin D

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential effect of the decision to remove access to vitamin D on prescription on the long-term bone health of people who cover all of their skin.

Steve Brine: As part of the NHS England consultation ‘Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A consultation on guidance for CCGs’, NHS England has published a full Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment which covers groups protected by the Equality Act 2010. A copy of the document is attached. In the summer months most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on the skin. However, it is also found in some foods – oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods, such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals. The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances states that vitamins and minerals should be prescribed only in the management of actual or potential vitamin or mineral deficiency, and are not to be prescribed as dietary supplements. We understand that NHS England’s current consultation is in line with this. Prescribing vitamin D for maintenance would be classed as a treatment for prevention or as a dietary supplement.



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National Institute for Health Research: Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which (a) Department and (b) public body holds details on the (i) 94 licences, (ii) 5 registrable, (iii) 62 non-registrable IP products and (iv) 15 spin-outs which have resulted from National Institute for Health Research funding.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The NIHR Intellectual Property (IP) team, reporting to the Department of Health and Social Care, holds details of IP product licences, registrable and non-registrable IP products and spin-outs resulting from National Institute of Health Research funding.

Mental Health Services

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in (a) staff shortages and (b) recruitment difficulties in NHS mental health services.

Jackie Doyle-Price: In July 2017 Health Education England (HEE) published ‘Stepping forward to 2020/21: The mental health workforce plan for England’. This included detailed analysis of workforce numbers and vacancy rates by key staff groups and plans to increase the size of the workforce by 21,000 additional posts by 2020/21. The plan includes a series of steps, currently underway, to improve recruitment and retention of mental health staff, as well as examining models of care and the roles played by different professionals in order to maximise the impact on service users. The Plan is available at: https://hee.nhs.uk/our-work/mental-health HEE Regional Leads are also working with sustainability and transformation plan leads to translate the mental health Workforce Plan into locally agreed plans to increase the numbers of mental health staff. HEE is currently consulting on its draft Workforce Strategy for England which considers the outputs of major workforce plans for the priorities laid out in the NHS Five Year Forward View – cancer, mental health, maternity, primary and community care and urgent and emergency care. The consultation will close on 23 March 2018 and the Government will consider carefully the conclusions of the consultation once this is finalised.

Hepatitis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if NHS England will take steps to engage third sector providers and the boarder hepatitis C community on how an elimination procurement strategy for hepatitis C could deliver in practice.

Steve Brine: The Government is committed to meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) target of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030. NHS England is responsible for procurement of new hepatitis C treatments. In addition to their usual procurements, NHS England is currently engaged in preparing a new strategic procurement for hepatitis C treatments. The perspectives and expertise of third sector, clinical and other hepatitis C representatives have already influenced the planning for that procurement and NHS England expects this to continue in the context of the rules which govern such procurements. Public Health England has also developed and shared materials with a range of stakeholders, including third sector providers, to help raise awareness of hepatitis C infection and highlight the need for those at risk to seek testing and treatment. The resources and materials available comprise of posters, a quiz, social media videos and social banners in a variety of different languages; all of these resources are available online to download or order by healthcare professionals and third sector providers as well as the general public. The resources are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaccine-update-issue-272-november-2017 https://publichealthengland-immunisati.app.box.com/s/iptxtlziu57evyejw8zgvhimh0pjwa05

Hospitals: Parking

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS hospitals in England employ a pay on exit system in their car parks.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS hospitals in England have card payment options in their car parks.

Stephen Barclay: The 2017 PLACE data confirms that out of 391 sites that charge for patient and visitor parking, 221 have a pay on exit system, and out of 391 sites that charge for patient and visitor parking, payment can be made at 209 by debit/credit. All PLACE data is published at: http://hefs.hscic.gov.uk/PLACE.asp

Hospitals: Parking

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much income was generated by hospital car parking charges in (a) financial year 2014-15, (b) financial year 2015-2016, (c) financial year 2016-2017, (d) calendar year 2014, (e), calendar year 2015, (f) calendar year 2016 and (f) calendar year 2017.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many penalty charge notices were issued for hospital car parking violations (a) 2014, (b) 2015, (c) 2016 and (d) 2017.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS hospital in England issued the greatest number of penalty charge notices for car parking violations in 2017.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS trust in England issued the greatest number of penalty charge notices for car parking violations in 2017.

Stephen Barclay: The information requested is not collected centrally. The provision of parking spaces and the level of any charges that are made to use them are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS organisations have the autonomy to make decisions that best suit their local circumstances. Details of charges, concessions and additional charges should be well publicised including at car park entrances, wherever payment is made and inside the hospital. They should also be included on the hospital website and on patient letters and forms, where appropriate. The Department published clear guidelines (the car parking principles) for NHS organisations that they are expected to follow. Hospitals should put concessions in place for those who most need help including disabled people, carers and staff who work shifts. The NHS itself is responsible for ensuring that charges are fairly applied. Patients, visitors and staff who have problems with car parking should therefore contact the NHS organisation which runs the car park. The NHS is responsible for the actions of any private contractor they may employ to manage their hospital car parking service.

Prosthetics: Children and Young People

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make funding available for activity and sport prostheses for children and young people beyond March 2018.

Caroline Dinenage: We can confirm continuation of funding beyond March 2018 for activity and sports prostheses on the National Health Service for children who have suffered limb loss or who were born with a limb deficiency, and will confirm details shortly.

Breast Cancer: Kent

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of breast cancer screening in (a) Kent and (b) Medway.

Steve Brine: NHS England is responsible for commissioning breast screening services to meet programme standards including coverage. They are committed to improving coverage and reducing variation between all age groups and catchment areas. The National Service specification for breast screening requires providers to have systems in place to ensure women who do not respond are provided with an opportunity not to miss screening. The efforts to increase the uptake include: reminders, second timed appointments, ensuring that women are invited every three years, and tailored information for women with learning difficulties. Further information is available here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/service-spec-24.pdf

Breast Cancer: Screening

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the Public Health England budget was spent on awareness campaigns to encourage more women to take up their invitation to a breast cancer screening in (a) 2015-2016 and (b) 2016-2017.

Steve Brine: The Be Clear on Cancer Breast Cancer campaign, which targets women over 70, does not directly encourage uptake of screening but instead aims to increase awareness of both the age-related risk of developing breast cancer and the symptoms that women need to be aware of. The campaign has run three times at a national level (from February to March 2014; from July to September 2015; and is currently live, running from February to March 2018). The public facing leaflet for the Be Clear on Cancer campaign contains information on the screening programme and informs women over 70 that they are able to self-refer for screening. Public Health England has not run a specific campaign to encourage more women to take up their invitation to a breast cancer screening.

Dental Health: Care Homes

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve oral health in care homes.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve data collection on tooth brushing habits in care homes.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve data collection on oral health in care homes.

Steve Brine: Since 2013, local authorities have had a statutory duty for improving the health, including oral health, of their populations. In 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arm’s length body of the Department, published guidance on oral health for adults in care homes. The aim of the guidance is to maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment. The guidance can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng48 In 2017, NICE published a quality standard on oral health in care homes, which was endorsed by the Department, and is aimed at commissioners and providers of care homes. The quality standard can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs151 In summer 2018, Public Health England (PHE) will be publishing ‘Commissioning better oral health for vulnerable older people’ to support commissioning of health and social care services that will have positive impacts on the oral health of vulnerable older people. PHE has no plans to improve data collection and there have been no national surveys on the oral health or tooth brushing habits of people in care homes. However, in 2016, PHE reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys. The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489756/What_is_known_about_the_oral_health_of_older_people.pdf

Dental Health: Children

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce tooth decay in children.

Steve Brine: Improving the oral health of children is a priority for this Government. Alongside local authorities’ duties to improve health, including oral health, Public Health England is leading a wide ranging multi agency programme focussing on improving children’s oral health. They have established a Child Health Improvement Programme Board which supports evidenced based actions that will increase the use of fluoride (toothpaste, varnish, water fluoridation). This is in addition to the childhood obesity plan which sets out measures that will reduce the amount of sugar children consume. NHS England are leading the Starting Well programme which will work in 13 high needs areas to reach children most at risk of tooth decay who are not currently seeing a dentist. Alongside this NHS England is also developing a complementary Starting Well Core offer, a commissioning approach designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. The offer will be made available during 2018, with commissioners making local decisions on use based on their assessment of need locally. Nationally, NHS England and the Department are testing new ways of providing National Health Service dental care focussed on preventing future dental disease. The aim is to deliver a new contract which improves oral health whilst increasing dental access. An evaluation report covering the first full year of testing the prototype approach is due to be published shortly.

Dental Health: Care Homes and Children

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of smart toothbrushes on dental health outcomes for (a) children, and (b) care home residents.

Steve Brine: The Government has made no assessment of the effect of the use of smart toothbrushes on dental health outcomes for children and care home residents.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on how each devolved nation compares internationally on the annual uptake of insulin pumps for the treatment of diabetes in the last three years.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the availability of (a) insulin pumps and (b) other diabetes technologies in each devolved nation for the treatment of diabetes.

Steve Brine: As health is a devolved matter, it would be for the relevant Department from each of the devolved administrations to provide information on the uptake and availability of insulin pumps and other diabetes technologies. The Department works closely with counterparts in the devolved administrations in order to share best practice of treatment and care. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for producing guidelines for best practice of treatment and care. Treatments such as Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) or ‘insulin pump' therapy may be brought into routine use in the National Health Service after their efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness have been appropriately demonstrated. Health is a devolved matter under the devolution settlements and thus it would be a matter for the devolved administrations to determine their use of diabetic pumps. Devolved administrations would be aware of guidance published by NICE on the use of CSII, and are able to follow these if they choose to do so.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent guidance his Department has issued on the the commissioning of healthcare treatments and services for patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which body is responsible for commissioning treatments and services for patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Steve Brine: NHS England commissions work on specialised Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) through the Specialised Respiratory Clinical Reference Group (CRG) which is delivered through regional specialised commissioning teams. The CRG is chaired by Professor Mike Morgan, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease. The CRG and commissioners actively engage with PH clinicians and the patient community in supporting policy development. The Pulmonary Hypertension Association was encouraged to apply both as patient voice members and to register as a stakeholder to the CRG. NHS England has published a service specification which sets out what the related centre and shared care model should look like. In the last year, NHS England has completed a peer review of this service and local commissioning leads are following up with each hospital service identified for improvement. NHS England also commissions the National Audit of Pulmonary Hypertension which covers the care of patients treated by the pulmonary hypertension services in eight United Kingdom centres.

Prescription Drugs: Sodium Valproate

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS prescription drugs contain (a) Valproate and (b) Sodium Valproate or their derivatives; and what warnings are given to patients of the associated risks to pregnant women.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The name valproate is often used to describe several medicines used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder – sodium valproate, semisodium valproate and valproic acid. Sodium valproate is the active constituent of the following brands of prescription drugs authorised in the United Kingdom: Epilim, Episenta, Sodium valproate Zentiva, Convulex, Sodium valproate Ivax, Valprotek, Epival, Orlept, and Sodium valproate Teva. Valproate semisodium is the constituent of Depakote tablets and Syonell gastro resistant tablets. All formulations of valproate (sodium valproate, valproic acid and valproate semisodium) carry a risk of birth defects if taken by pregnant women and should only be used to treat women and girls of childbearing potential if other drugs are ineffective or not tolerated. Over the years the evidence of risk has grown and following a European review on the risks of developmental disorders, which completed in 2014, there has been extensive work to communicate clear advice to health professionals and patients. Warnings about the risks of valproate if taken during pregnancy and that females of childbearing age should use an effective method of contraception throughout treatment are included in a boxed warning in the package leaflet which accompanies the medicine. This leaflet also provides detailed information of the magnitude and nature of the risk, details of the actions patients need to take, where to find additional information and the importance of discussing this with their doctor. Warnings are present on the outer packaging of the medicine and in a patient card which should be provided by the pharmacist when valproate is dispensed. Further information on the risks is provided in a patient guide to be used to support discussions between the woman and her doctor. A further European review, initiated because of concerns about the effectiveness of measures taken to date, will complete shortly. It will deliver a strengthened regulatory position which will enable a more structured and systematic approach, through a pregnancy prevention programme, to ensure that women understand and accept the risks of treatment, are supported in making informed choices about contraception and that there is specialist supervision and monitoring if they chose to continue with valproate treatment.

Hepatitis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for implementing the new procurement approach between NHS England and manufacturers to eliminate hepatitis C in England.

Steve Brine: Following publication of the Official Journal of the European Union notice in March 2018 and conclusion of assessment of proposals in September 2018, NHS England anticipates the new procurement approach will be implemented from 1 October 2018.

Hospitals: Parking

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS hospitals in England publish readily available information on their parking policy.

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS hospitals in England publish readily available information on their implementation of NHS car parking principles.

Stephen Barclay: The information requested is not collected centrally. National Health Service organisations are responsible locally for their own policy on car parking, taking into account operational circumstances and community interests. The Department published clear guidelines (car parking principles) for NHS organisations that they are expected to follow. They can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles Details of charges, concessions and additional charges should be well publicised including at car park entrances, wherever payment is made and inside the hospital. They should also be included on the hospital website and on patient letters and forms, where appropriate. Hospitals should put concessions in place for those who most need help including disabled people, carers and staff who work shifts. The NHS itself is responsible for ensuring that charges are fairly applied. Patients, visitors and staff who have problems with car parking should therefore contact the NHS organisation which runs the car park.

Eating Disorders: Children and Young People

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support Clinical Commissioning Groups to meet national standards on the treatment of children and young people with eating disorders.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The access and waiting time standard for children and young people with eating disorders states that by 2020/21, evidence-based community eating disorder services for children and young people will be in place in all areas, ensuring that 95% of children in need receive treatment within one week for urgent cases, and four weeks for routine cases. For children and young people, the latest figures show that the waiting time standard for access to treatment for eating disorders is on track to be met as planned:- 76.9% of patients started urgent treatment within one week in Q3 (October - December 2017); and- 83.1% of patients started routine treatment within four weeks in Q3 (October – December 2017). The Department is investing £30 million a year to 2020 to support clinical commissioning groups in developing and enhancing eating disorder services for children and young people. There are now 70 new or expanded community eating disorders services in place. This funding is to support the commissioning of services to the standards set out in the NHS England and National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Commissioning Guide, ‘Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder’, which is available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/cyp-eating-disorders-access-waiting-time-standard-comm-guid.pdf

Eating Disorders

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to introduce (a) access and (b) waiting times standards for adults with eating disorders on an equivalent basis to standards for people up to the age of 19.

Jackie Doyle-Price: A pathway for adults with eating disorders, together with detailed implementation guidance for providers, is being developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This work will be fully informed by the available evidence and the views of experts by experience. In parallel to this, a baseline data collection will be undertaken to measure existing levels of investment, capacity and activity across inpatient and community services for adults with eating disorders to assess the feasibility of introducing a mandatory waiting time standard.

Social Services: Minimum Wage

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional funding to help meet the sleep-in back pay liability for care providers.

Caroline Dinenage: The Secretary of State meets with a range of ministers from across Government, to discuss a range of issues. The Government recognises the pressure on the sleep-in sector caused by back pay liabilities and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the sector; officials from across Government are engaged in regular discussions on the matter. The Government is committed to ensuring that the social care sector is stable, both for those receiving care and for care workers.

Eating Disorders

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the amount of time between symptoms of an eating disorder emerging and treatment for that disorder starting.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Information on the reporting of symptoms emerging and treatment beginning is not collected. The access and waiting time standard for children and young people with eating disorders states that by 2020/21 evidence-based community eating disorder services for children and young people will be in place in all areas, ensuring that 95% of children in need receive treatment within one week for urgent cases, and four weeks for routine cases. The latest figures show that the waiting time standard for access to treatment for eating disorders is on track to be met as planned:- 76.9% of patients started urgent treatment within one week in Q3 (October - December 2017); and- 83.1% of patients started routine treatment within four weeks in Q3 (October - December 2017).Source: NHS England A pathway for adults with eating disorders, together with detailed implementation guidance for providers, is being developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This work will be fully informed by the available evidence and the views of experts by experience. In parallel to this, a baseline data collection will be undertaken to measure existing levels of investment, capacity and activity across inpatient and community services for adults with eating disorders to assess the feasibility of introducing a mandatory waiting time standard.

Endometriosis

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what events ministers of his Department attended to mark Endometriosis Awareness Week between 3 and 11 March 2018.

Jackie Doyle-Price: No Departmental Ministers have attended events to mark Endometriosis Awareness Week.

Endometriosis

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of classifying endometriosis as an incurable disability.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Decisions about what impairments meet this definition are not generally made on the basis of whether or not a person has a specific condition, but on the impact of that condition. This will apply to women with endometriosis in the same way that it would apply to people with any other condition. The Equality Act 2010 specifies that only a very small number of health conditions (cancer, HIV infection and multiple sclerosis) can be considered disabilities from the point of diagnosis for the purposes of the Act.

Incontinence: Health Services

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the revised Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England is taking to ensure that commissioners in Clinical Commissioning Groups adopt the Excellence in Continence Care Guidelines.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to require Clinical Commissioning Groups to submit data to NHS England on continence care services.

Steve Brine: NHS England is taking several approaches to ensure clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are following the Excellence in Continence Care Framework, including;- arranging for CCGs to have access to teams of expert clinicians, commissioners from areas that have adopted the guidelines and people with experience to review their existing service against the best practice outlined in the guideline and make appropriate improvements;- exploring the potential for a mandatory data set to provide transparency about the continence service CCGs are commissioning, via the CCG assurance process which enables NHS England to check how CCGs are meeting the health needs of their population;- encouraging CCGs to develop integrated commissioning arrangements with local authorities to ensure improved coordination, experience and use of resources; and- ongoing communication and education campaigns to raise awareness about the Framework. An updated version of the NHS England Excellence in Continence Care guidance is being developed and is due to be published in the near future. There is no confirmed date for publication at the present time. NHS England are exploring the mandatory data set and have a long term programme to increase the transparency of information available about the National Health Service.

Allergies

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons there is not a lead official for allergy in his Department.

Steve Brine: Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for securing high quality outcomes for people with long term conditions, including allergies. Departmental staff support ministers on a wide range of issues, including those concerning allergies, and work closely with NHS England to secure the necessary expertise when needed.

Home Care Services

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of home-care visits for personal care that last for 15 minutes or less.

Caroline Dinenage: The Care Act 2014 is clear that commissioning services without properly considering the impact on people’s wellbeing is unacceptable. However, it would be inappropriate to introduce a blanket ban on 15 minute homecare visits. They may be appropriate in certain circumstances, for instance, checking medication has been taken. Ultimately, local authorities are responsible for the commissioning of services. We are supporting local authorities to improve commissioning of care. The Department worked with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association to produce a framework of standards, ‘Commissioning for Better Outcomes’ which explicitly states that inappropriate use of short visits is not compatible with best practice. The Department has also worked with local government and the care sector to develop and encourage good practice in commissioning and managing local markets. A suite of guidance is now available at the on-line Hub on GOV.UK. The Department is working with organisations from across the adult social care sector to implement Quality Matters – a commitment to improving quality.

Food: Labelling

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) restaurants, (b) takeaways and (c) cafes that provide calorie labelling (i) on their menus and (ii) at the point of purchase.

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory calorie labelling, with additional contextual information, on menus in restaurants, cafes and takeaway outlets.

Steve Brine: No estimate has made of the number of out of home settings providing calorie information and no assessment has been made of the merits of mandating calorie labelling in these settings.

Food: Labelling

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) retailers and (b) manufacturers that have adopted the front-of-pack traffic-light labelling system.

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of front-of-pack traffic-light labelling on people's choice of food.

Steve Brine: Businesses that have adopted the front of pack nutrition labelling scheme account for approximately two thirds of the market for pre-packed foods and drinks. Evidence suggests that people who use the front of pack labels tend to have healthier shopping baskets with fewer calories, less sugar, fat and salt, and more fibre. Evidence from businesses using the scheme suggests that shoppers use the scheme to make healthier choices within categories, for example, ready meals.

Haematological Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure early diagnosis of blood cancer.

Steve Brine: Early diagnosis of blood cancers is difficult as symptoms, such as tiredness or back pain, are often misdiagnosed. For suspected blood cancers, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a revised guideline in 2015 which clearly sets out that general practitoners should consider a very urgent full blood count within 48 hours to assess for leukaemia if adults present with suspicious symptoms. In December 2016 the Government announced transformation funding of £200 million for Cancer Alliances to encourage new and innovative ways to diagnose cancer earlier, improve the care for those living with cancer and ensure that each cancer patient gets the right care for them. Additionally, the Accelerate, Coordinate and Evaluate Programme is a unique early diagnosis initiative, a programme of 60 projects exploring innovative concepts of diagnosing cancer earlier across England. The programme is testing a new multi-disciplinary diagnostic centre approach to diagnosing patients with vague or unclear but concerning symptoms, often characteristic of hard to diagnose cancers like blood cancers.

Postnatal Depression: Mental Health Services

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report of the NCT on The Hidden Half, Bringing postnatal mental illness out of hiding, published in June 2017, what steps his Department is taking to identify post-natal mental health in women.

Jackie Doyle-Price: This Government is committed to improving perinatal mental health services for women during pregnancy and in the first postnatal year, so that women are able to access the right care at the right time and close to home. The Department is investing £365 million from 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal mental health services, and NHS England is leading a transformation programme to ensure that by 2020/21 at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period. This includes access to psychological therapies and specialist community or inpatient care. A key element of the programme is to increase awareness and skills across the workforce, supporting better identification of perinatal mental illness, early intervention and consequently improved recovery rates. In addition, there are now over 570 perinatal mental health visitor champions. Their role is to support health visitors with the identification and management of anxiety, mild to moderate depression and other perinatal mental disorders, and knowing when to refer on.

Members: Correspondence

Paula Sherriff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the letter of the 9 January 2018 from the hon Member for Dewsbury on visiting health care services in Dewsbury constituency.

Caroline Dinenage: The office of my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State responded to the hon. Member on 8 February 2018. As their reply stated, my Rt. hon. Friend plans to visit Dewsbury, but dates are yet to be confirmed.

Congenital Abnormalities

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care what information his Department holds on the number of (a) adults and (b) children diagnosed with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome in the UK as a result of mothers being prescribed with sodium valproate during pregnancy.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing (a) special educational needs and (b) disability support for children diagnosed with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome as a result of mothers being prescribed sodium valproate during pregnancy.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing social care for children diagnosed with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome as a result of the mother being prescribed with sodium valproate during pregnancy.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Information on the number of adults and children diagnosed with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome in the United Kingdom due to pre-natal sodium valproate exposure is not collected centrally. Fetal anti-convulsant syndrome is a non-drug specific condition that relates to abnormalities in children exposed to any anticonvulsant, not just sodium valproate, during pregnancy. The Department does not collect data about local authorities' expenditure specifically on social care provision for children diagnosed with foetal anti-convulsant syndrome, or on the provision of special education needs or disability support for such children, and no estimate has been made by the Department of these costs.

Midwives: Training

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the attrition rate was for students on midwifery courses in each of the last five completed cohorts for which figures are available.

Stephen Barclay: The Department does not collect this data. There were over 2,553 more full time equivalent midwives working in the National Health Service in November 2017, an increase of 13.1% compared to 2010.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on the childcare element of (a) tax credits and (b) universal credit in (i) total and (ii) in each region in each of the past five years.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.Responsibility for Tax Credits statistics lies with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Employment: Disability

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's paper, Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability, published in November 2017, what steps his Department has taken to (a) establish Community Partners and  (b) to increase the number of Disability Employment Advisers by 300.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training his Department plans to offer to (a) Community Partners and (b) Disability Employment Advisers on musculoskeletal health.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many musculoskeletal-specific community partner roles he plans to establish.

Sarah Newton: Community Partners and Disability Employment Advisors have been recruited to achieve the ambition set out in the Department’s paper, Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability.The Department is committed to recruiting around 200 Community Partners and is actively doing so. There are Community Partners in place in every Jobcentre Plus District. 116 Community Partners are currently in post and 38 others have accepted offers of employment. For all remaining posts recruitment is ongoing. The role of the Community Partner is to support work coaches with their experience and expertise in a full range of disabilities and health issues, including musculoskeletal conditions. Given that Districts are recruiting Community Partners with musculoskeletal expertise where they require it, the Department has no proposals to offer training to Community Partners on that subject. Each Jobcentre District has been asked to identify the most appropriate mix of Community Partner roles to address local circumstances. In around 10 Districts this has included musculoskeletal-specific Community Partners. Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) have been recruited in every country and region of Great Britain. As at February 2018, there are 470 full time equivalent DEAs with an actual headcount above 500 when taking account of part time and dual role workers. The DEA role has also changed and in partnership with Community Partners and Work Psychologists they are working to improve the capability of all Work Coaches to better support claimants, including those with disabilities. Disability Employment Advisers have a tailored learning journey that equips them with the skills and knowledge to support work coaches and other DWP staff when they are working with customers with a wide range of health conditions. This includes researching local healthcare and disabled services organisations and identifying sources of support for claimants with physical health conditions.

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many families in each region were in receipt of the childcare element of (a) tax credits and (b) universal credit in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Alok Sharma: The available information on the number of households in receipt of the childcare element of Universal Credit is published and can be found at:https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html Responsibility for Tax Credits statistics lies with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Universal Credit: Scotland

Andrew Bowie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to assess the management of the devolved elements of Universal Credit to the Scottish Government.

Alok Sharma: The Universal Credit Scottish Flexibilities, now also known as “Universal Credit Scottish choices”, were made available to all Universal Credit full service claimants living in Scotland from 31 January 2018. They allow for claimants to choose to be paid twice monthly, and to choose to have the relevant housing costs in their award paid to their landlord. The Universal Credit Scottish Flexibilities are a matter for the Scottish Government as part of the Scotland Act 2016 and is their policy.Claimants retain the ability to have their payments made monthly, and to keep control of their finances by paying their landlord themselves. We believe this more effectively mirrors work and supports claimants back into work.We are working closely with the Scottish Government and have concluded a working level agreement, which includes the provision of agreed management information. We also have a Joint Implementation Group which is a forum for the Scottish Government and DWP to work collaboratively on delivering Universal Credit flexibilities in Scotland.

Universal Credit: Disqualification

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of administering universal credit sanctions in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available.

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of administering employment and support allowance sanctions in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available.

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of administering jobseeker's allowance sanctions in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Pension Funds

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to clarify the fiduciary duties of pension fund trustees to support a longer term approach to investing pension funds.

Alok Sharma: We want pension schemes to take account of all financially material long-term risks when making investment decisions. We are concerned that sometimes shorter-term considerations may be disproportionately influential. This can exclude or reduce consideration of investment options that take account of longer term financial factors, such as those arising from material environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks. The 2017 Law Commission report ‘Pension funds and social investment’ proposed some legislative changes to clarify the fiduciary duties of trustees in this respect, which we are minded to accept. We plan to launch a consultation on regulatory changes and respond in full to the report by June 2018.

Universal Credit: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children are included on universal credit claims in Scotland.

Alok Sharma: The information for all Universal Credit claims is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, I can inform the Hon. Member that as at June 2017, there were 51,000 households in Scotland on Universal Credit, of which 4,600 had child entitlement (these figures have been obtained from stat xplore, which can be accessed athttps://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/)

Universal Credit: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on the use of universal credit split payments; and if she has supplied the Scottish Government with indicative costs.

Alok Sharma: DWP and the Scottish Government have had early discussions about the Scottish Government’s split payment policy and will be holding an initial workshop in the near future. Currently, Universal Credit Alternative Payment Arrangements for split payments are available for vulnerable claimants. We are unable to provide indicative costs until the design has been agreed.

Pregnancy: Sodium Valproate

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the amount paid out by his Department in benefits to people with fetal anti-convulsant syndrome as a result of the mother being prescribed sodium valproate during pregnancy.

Sarah Newton: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Children: Maintenance

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the comparative rate of enforcement action between carer and absent parents using the Child Maintenance Service.

Kit Malthouse: Enforcement action within the Child Maintenance Service collects money for the benefit of children and is only used against non-paying parents, rather than against receiving parents.

Children: Maintenance

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the Child Maintenance Service to date.

Kit Malthouse: When measuring the efficacy of the Child Maintenance Service, we collect data on rate of compliance. These figures are published quarterly in table 6 of the Child Maintenance Service experimental statistics data tables, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684262/tables-child-maintenance-service-august-2013-to-december-2017.ods

Pensions

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department defines whether a pension scheme is (a) private and (b) public in calculating benefits eligibility.

Guy Opperman: Occupational, personal and public service pension schemes are defined in section 1 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993. A public service pension scheme is an occupational pension scheme established by or under an enactment, the Royal prerogative or a Royal charter, unlike other occupational pension schemes which are set up under trust. Pension and tax laws may prescribe certain minimum or maximum requirements regarding the benefits that a pension scheme may provide. Beyond that, the type, level and eligibility criteria for benefits due under the scheme are a matter for the sponsoring employer. Details will be contained in the scheme rules or, in the case of public service schemes, the relevant legislation.

Home Office

Car Washes: Regulation

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Government department leads on the enforcement of regulations against illegal car washes; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Atkins: The operation of hand car washes covers a wide range of factors, including health and safety, environmental issues, payment of national minimum wage and other worker and employment protections, which cut across a number of Government Departments. At a local level, agencies, including the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, local authorities, Immigration Enforcement and the police work in partnership to take action against labour exploitation and modern slavery.The Director of Labour Market Enforcement will be looking at the issue of enforcement in sectors that have been identified as high risk for labour exploitation and modern slavery in his forthcoming annual labour market enforcement strategy.

Schengen Agreement: ICT

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions took place at the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council of Ministers on 8 and 9 March in Brussels on the Schengen Information System II.

Caroline Nokes: There were no discussions on the Schengen Information System II during the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8 and 9 March.Written Ministerial Statements will be laid in both Houses on Thursday 15 March. These will describe the discussions that took place during the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council of 8 and 9 March.

Slavery

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2018 to Question 129972, on Slavery, what the timetable is for her Departments consideration of the judgment of PK (Ghana) [2018] WLR(D) 94, [2018] EWCA Civ 98; and what the timetable is for her Department to issue amended guidance on discretionary leave to victims of modern slavery as a result of that judgment.

Caroline Nokes: The Court of Appeal issued a judgment in the case of (PK(Ghana) v SSHD) on 13 February 2018. We are considering the implications of the judgment.Whilst we consider next steps interim guidance has been issued to caseworkers to put on hold any refusals of discretionary leave to remain decisions for confirmed victims of modern slavery. Grants of discretionary leave are continuing. This guidance is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/interim-operation-guidance-discretionary-leave-for-victims-of-modern-slaveryIn line with standard practice, support providers under the Victim Care Contract can seek an extension of support for confirmed victims who are awaiting a discretionary leave decision.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Land

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will request from the authorities in Northern Ireland details of (a) the land the Northern Ireland Executive holds and (b) the proportion of that land which has been judged surplus; and if he will place that information in the Library.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The ownership and management of land held by the Northern Ireland Executive is a devolved matter. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland does not therefore intend to request this information.

Abortion: Northern Ireland

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her policy is on equal direct access to abortion services for women in Northern Ireland.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Government has made arrangements that women from Northern Ireland will not be charged for termination of pregnancy services in England, and that travel support will be made available for such women who find themselves in a financial hardship situation. However, abortion law remains a devolved matter and therefore an issue for the Northern Ireland Assembly to consider. The Government will continue to do all it can to support the delivery of effective, stable, power-sharing devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, so that decisions on issues such as abortion are taken by locally accountable politicians.

Treasury

Aviation: Training

Luke Graham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to lower the level of taxation for pilot training; and if he will make a statement.

Mel Stride: The Government is aware that airlines often require their pilots to make a contribution to their own training costs. At Autumn Budget 2017, the government announced it would consult on extending the scope of tax relief available for self-funded work-related training by employees and the self-employed. This consultation was published on 13 March 2018. In addition, the government is supporting the development of training schemes through the apprenticeship levy. The levy, which was launched on 6 April 2017, will fund a step change in apprenticeship numbers and quality. The levy helps to reverse the trend of underinvestment in training by employers and put control of funding for apprenticeships in employers’ hands. Employers have already developed new apprenticeship standards in aviation, which include Airside Ground Specialist and Aviation Operations Manager. The Commercial Airline Pilot standard is currently in development.

Roadchef: Employee Benefit Trusts

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury of 19 December 2018, Official Report, column, 1039, what the timetable is for HMRC to reach an agreement with the Roadchef Employee Benefits Trust on outstanding tax liabilities.

Mel Stride: The administration of the tax system, including where appropriate the repayment of tax or duties, is a matter for HM Revenue and Customs. It would not be appropriate for Treasury Ministers to become involved in the administration of the tax system in specific cases. As I mentioned in the debate in December, HMRC is doing everything it can to resolve the issue promptly and fairly.

Charitable Donations: Tax Allowances

Peter Dowd: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people received income tax relief on charitable donations in each year since 2010.

Mel Stride: The number of people who received Income Tax relief for donations to charity by tax year is given in the table below. These estimates are based on the respective Survey of Personal Incomes for each tax year. Tax yearPeople (thousands)2010-115082011-125852012-136632013-147332014-157392015-16767 For the tax year 2016-17, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 27 June which remains as the latest estimate. In this answer the previous estimate for 2014-15 has been revised following a small change in methodology, and the previous estimate for 2015-16 has been updated following the receipt of the latest outturn data.

Gift Aid

Anneliese Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of introducing a de minimis limit of £20 on retail Gift Aid claims for shops in the charity retail sector on that sector.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received (a) in support of and (b) opposed to the introduction of a de minimis limit of £20 on retail Gift Aid claims for shops in the charity retail sector.

Anneliese Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce a de minimis limit of £20 on retail Gift Aid claims for shops in the charity retail sector.

Robert Jenrick: The Government keeps all taxes and tax reliefs under review. In 2017 HMRC set up a Working Group with the charity sector to improve people’s understanding of Gift Aid and to review any areas of the process that can be improved. One of the issues that has come up as part of that working group is the question of whether charity shops could stop sending letters to their donors if the goods that have been donated have been sold for less than a certain amount, for example £20. The working group is continuing to explore all options, and officials are meeting with members of the working group to discuss this specific issue in April.

Prosperity Fund

Luke Graham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to be available to managing authorities in all parts of the UK.

Elizabeth Truss: The government has committed to create a United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund following Brexit. The fund will support all regions across the four nations of the UK to achieve sustainable, inclusive growth, based on our modern industrial strategy. Further details on the fund will be set out in due course.

Taxation: Young People

James Cartlidge: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the average amount of tax and national insurance paid by people aged 16 and 17 years of age.

James Cartlidge: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total amount of tax and national insurance paid by people aged 16 and 17 years of age.

Mel Stride: This table contains estimates of both the total and the average amount of income tax liabilities of individuals who are aged 16 or 17 at the end of the 2015-16 tax year and are liable for income tax. This table also contains estimates of both the total and the average amount of national insurance liabilities of individuals who are aged 16 or 17 at the end of the 2015-16 tax year and are liable for national insurance. Income tax and national insurance paid by individuals aged 16 or 17(1) Income TaxNational InsuranceTotal(2)£17,300,000£12,700,000Average(3)£2,130£117 1) These estimates are based on the 2015-16 Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI).2) Total figures presented are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.3) Average figures presented are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much compensation has been paid (a) in total, (b) on average for individual claims and (c) to what number of people for failings of the Childcare Service website.

Elizabeth Truss: The vast majority of parents have been able to apply for and use Tax-Free Childcare without difficulty. Where parents have missed out on Tax-Free Childcare payments HMRC will pay compensation to reimburse them. As at 12 March 2018, HMRC has paid a total of £1,880,859 to parents in lieu of missed Tax-Free Childcare payments and the average payment was £280. HMRC also makes redress payments to recompense parents for inconvenience and expenses such as telephone calls to the helpline. At 12 March 2018 HMRC had paid a total of £96,751in redress to parents and the average payment was £62.

EU Grants and Loans: Scotland

Luke Graham: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether organisations in Scotland will be able to access funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Elizabeth Truss: Further to my answer of Parliamentary Question 131221, the UKSPF will support organisations in all parts of the UK to achieve sustainable inclusive growth based on our modern industrial strategy

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Land

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much land (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies owns in (i) England and (ii) the South West; and how much of that land has been identified as being surplus to requirements.

Margot James: The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport currently holds 0.07 hectares of land in England that is designated as surplus, none of which are in the South West of England. This does not include land previously identified as surplus that has now been disposed. This figure also includes agencies and non-departmental public bodies. These surplus assets are in the process of being disposed of in line with the Government Estates Strategy. Details of the department's surplus land holdings are published on the register of surplus land: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/epimstransparency

Public Libraries: Theft

Graham P Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the number of books that are stolen each year from local authority-run libraries and illegally sold.

Michael Ellis: The Department does not collect information about the number of books from local authority run libraries that are stolen and sold each year. Local library authorities are responsible for providing public library services including managing book stock available for library lending.

Press: Regulation

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received on the revised Editors Code published by the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Margot James: The Government regularly meets and engages with its stakeholders to discuss a range of issues.

Internet

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Government's Digital Charter, published on 25 January 2018, if he will outline his Department's definition of harmful content; and how that definition differs from the Government's definition of (a) hate speech and (b) hate crime.

Margot James: The Internet Safety Strategy, which forms part of the Digital Charter, will address a wide range of harms, relating both to behaviours and content, which can be experienced online by users. In her speech on 6 February 2018, the Prime Minister confirmed that we would be bringing forward the Government response to the consultation to the measures proposed in the green paper in the spring. Hate crime is defined in law as any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's actual or perceived committed by reason of the victim's race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity. In legislation there are some specific hate crime offences, and provision for enhanced sentences. While some hate speech is illegal under various pieces of legislation, hate speech does not necessarily constitute hate crime, e.g. if it targets other groups. These offences can take place online and offline.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Appleby

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether  (a) he, (b) Ministers of his Department and (c) officials in his Department have held meetings with the legal firm Appleby's since October 2017.

Margot James: Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis at www.gov.uk.

Bookmakers: Regulation

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Gambling Commission is taking to ensure bookmakers do not breach anti-money laundering and social responsibility requirements.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will ask the Gambling Commission to launch an investigation into the social responsibility and money laundering compliance by bookmakers as a result of the outcome of the Gambling Commission’s investigation into William Hill.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with the Gambling Commission on social responsibility and money laundering compliance by bookmakers.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the number of ongoing investigations into bookmaker companies by the (a) Gambling Commission and (b) Competition and Markets Authority.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of strengthening the powers of the Gambling Commission to respond to social responsibility failings in the gambling sector.

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Gambling Commission is taking to ensure bookmakers (a) check the source of betting money and (b) protect vulnerable customers.

Tracey Crouch: All gambling operators have duties to prevent money laundering under the Gambling Act 2005, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice. Any operators selling services into the British market must be licensed by the Commission, and the licence conditions require operators to assess the money laundering risks to their business and to have controls in place to mitigate them. Operators must also comply with social responsibility and customer interaction requirements to protect vulnerable people. The Commission conducts suitability checks on the business, all persons relevant to the business and on key management personnel, and has powers to revoke or suspend licences, attach individual conditions to licences and/or impose a financial penalty in the case of failings. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. The Government considers that these powers are sufficient to enforce bookmakers’ compliance with anti-money laundering and social responsibility obligations. In February 2018 a Gambling Commission investigation into William Hill resulted in a £6.2m penalty package for breaches of anti-money laundering and social responsibility regulations. As part of the regulatory settlement, the Gambling Commission has instructed William Hill to appoint external auditors to review its anti-money laundering and social responsibility measures, and to share learning with the wider industry. In 2016 the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation, which is still ongoing, into online gambling companies’ compliance with consumer protection law. Information on this work can be found on the CMA website: https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/online-gambling#case-launch. In February 2018 the CMA launched a merger investigation into the proposed acquisition by GVC Holdings plc of Ladbrokes Coral Group plc. Information on this investigation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/gvc-holdings-ladbrokes-coral-group-merger-inquiry As a matter of policy, the Gambling Commission does not provide information on ongoing investigations. The outcomes of the Gambling Commission’s enforcement work are published on its website. The Gambling Commission will continue to take robust and effective action where gambling companies fail to meet their obligations. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Gambling Commission on a range of issues.

Broadband: Rural Areas

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department's policy is on expanding broadband provision in rural areas.

Margot James: The Government’s policy is to ensure world-class broadband connectivity across the UK, including in rural areas. To date, we have invested £1.7 billion of public money to deliver 95% superfast broadband coverage of the UK by the end of 2017, and are continuing to support delivery with at least a further 2% coverage likely to be achieved. In Northern Ireland, this will have provided superfast coverage to 41,000 premises. In addition to this, the UK Government allocated a further £150 million for ultrafast broadband in Northern Ireland as part of the June 2017 funding agreement. The Local Full Fibre Networks programme includes a £190 million Challenge Fund designed to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the UK, including Northern Ireland. Defra has also allocated £30 million of grant funding from the Rural Development Programme for England, targeted at helping to connect businesses with broadband in hard to reach rural areas. To ensure no-one is left behind, the Better Broadband Scheme ensures all UK premises have access to an affordable broadband service delivering at least 2Mbps. From 2020 we are also introducing a broadband Universal Service Obligation so everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high-speed broadband. Beyond these actions, the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review will assess the policy conditions that will best encourage the long-term investment needed to deliver the next generation of digital infrastructure in different areas of the UK, including hard-to-reach rural areas.

Channel Four Television: Location

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the timetable is for the proposed move of Channel 4 out of London.

Margot James: The Government welcomes Channel 4's agreement to move 300 staff out of London, rising over time. There are many creative locations across the UK, and Channel 4 will launch a process in April in which cities and regions across the UK can pitch to become the home of Channel 4's new National HQ and creative hubs, with the aim that a decision on these locations will be taken in Q3 2018.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Insolvency

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to implement the proposals resulting from the 2016 Review of the Corporate Insolvency Framework consultation.

Andrew Griffiths: In May 2016 the Government published its Review of the Corporate Insolvency Framework consultation. The consultation contained a package of proposals to improve the rescue opportunities for financially-distressed companies. A summary of responses to the consultation was published in September 2016. Following the publication of the summary of responses, the Government has continued to engage with a range of interested parties to further discuss and explore issues raised in responses to the consultation. This further engagement will ensure that any reforms, if necessary, will be fit for purpose and best achieve the Government’s aims of rescuing distressed but viable businesses, preserving economic value and saving jobs. The Government will set out the way forward for the proposals in its response later this year.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Building Regulations: Fire Prevention

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of desktop studies in determining fire safety compliance within building regulations.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



Dame Judith Hackitt’s interim report recommended that the Government should restrict the use of desktop studies so that they are only used where appropriate, with sufficient test evidence and where those undertaking the assessment are able to demonstrate suitable competence. The Government will consult on proposals to implement this recommendation shortly.

Planning Permission

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications have been "called-in" in each of the last five years for which data is available; and how many of those applications included development (a) on or (b) adjacent to an airfield.

Dominic Raab: The number of planning applications called in for determination by the Secretary ofState in each of the last full five years is set out below. Applications called in201312201416201524201615201719Four involved either an existing airfield or were adjacent to an airfield.

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to assist housing association tenants to exercise a right to buy; if he will set out the housing associations that allow tenants to exercise a right to buy; and if he will name the housing associations that have expressed an interest in participating in a voluntary right-to-buy scheme.

Dominic Raab: The Government is committed to ensuring that housing association tenants have the opportunity to own their homes, and the Midlands pilot announced at Autumn Budget 2017 is a clear demonstration of that commitment.We are currently engaging with the National Housing Federation and housing associations in the Midlands, and more details on the pilot will be announced in due course, including the housing associations taking part.

Affordable Housing

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that public sector workers are prioritised in the purchase of affordable housing that has been developed through the sale of public sector land.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



The revised National Planning Policy Framework, which was published for consultation on 5 March 2018, makes clear that essential local workers should be taken into account in planning for affordable homes. It defines a broad category of essential local workers for this purpose, as public sector employees who provide frontline services such as health and education.This change will help ensure that the needs of key public sector workers are reflected in planning policies and development decisions, including schemes involving the sale or development of public sector land.

Housing: Construction

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the implications are for his policies on housebuilding of the recommendations of the Redfern Review, published in November 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



The Government welcomes any report, which seeks to increase homeownership and housing supply. Along with the bold plans set out in our Housing White Paper last year, the Autumn Budget has put us on track to create, fund and drive a housing market which delivers 300,000 homes a year on average by the mid 2020s.We are also helping more young people into home ownership through a further £10 billion for Help to Buy and the new stamp duty exemption for first time buyers.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 62 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework, published by his Department in March 2018, whether the types of homes referred to in that paragraph include sites for Travellers who fall outside the definition in Annex one of the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites but are a group with specific housing requirements.

Dominic Raab: Under paragraph 62 of the consultation draft National Planning Policy Framework, it is proposed that it is a matter for each local authority to determine the type of homes required for different groups in the community, including travellers who do not fall under the definition in Annex 1 of the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites. We welcome views on this issue in response to the consultation paper.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to planning policy for Travellers in the draft National Planning Policy Framework, what his policy is on the definition of Traveller contained in Annex 1 of the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites.

Dominic Raab: The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, including Annex 1, remains in place. The consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework asks a question on whether any changes should be made to the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites as a result of the proposed changes to the Framework set out in the consultation and if so, what changes should be made. We welcome views on this issue in response to the consultation paper.

Sleeping Rough: Death

Melanie Onn: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many rough sleepers have died as a result of their homeless status between November 2017 and March 2018.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



The death of any rough sleeper is a tragedy. That is why this Government has committed to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027. Establishing the causes of death for any person in the UK is a matter for medical professionals or coroners.Local areas and homelessness services often hold detailed information about the people who sleep rough in their area, including about rough sleepers who have died where this information is available them.We are overhauling the statutory homelessness data collection alongside the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. This will give us better insights into the causes of homelessness and the support people need. The new statutory homelessness data collection will be called H-CLIC.The first meeting of the Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce took place on the 7 March. The Taskforce will drive forward the implementation of a cross-Government strategy to reduce rough sleeping.We have allocated over £1 billion through to 2020 to prevent and reduce all forms of homelessness including piloting a Housing First approach for some of the most entrenched rough sleepers.

Grenfell Tower: Fires

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire (a) require rehousing; and of how many of those people are in (a) emergency, (b) temporary and (c) permanent accommodation.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many households that were rehoused following the Grenfell Tower fire are located (a) inside and (b) outside the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in (i) emergency, (ii) temporary and (iii) permanent accommodation.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 14 March 2018



The latest figures from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea show that, as of 9 March, 137 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk have accepted an offer of permanent accommodation. Another 46 have accepted an offer of temporary accommodation. Therefore a total of 183 households have accepted either an offer of temporary or permanent accommodation.Out of the 208 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk that need to be rehoused, 64 have moved into temporary accommodation which is self-contained, fully furnished, big enough for each family and not in a high rise building, in either the private or social housing sector and 60 have moved into permanent accommodation. 84 are in emergency accommodation, which includes those living in hotels, serviced apartments and some who are living with friends and family.Out of the 84 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk who are still in emergency accommodation, 25 have not accepted a permanent offer. The Council is working with these households to support them to be able to accept a permanent offer as quickly as possible.Out of the 208 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk that need to be rehoused, 144 are located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, of which 50 are in emergency, 39 are in temporary and 55 are in permanent accommodation.Out of the 208 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk that need to be rehoused, 64 are located outside of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea of which 34 are in emergency, 25 are in temporary and 5 are in permanent accommodation.The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has committed that survivors will be provided with a permanent new home in social housing within one year of the fire, within the same borough or, as close as possible, unless survivors specifically want to live elsewhere.The Council report that it has made over 300 permanent homes available to survivors to give people as much choice as possible.

Private Rented Housing

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether steps he has taken to safeguard deposit payments for licensees who have signed up for property guardianship schemes.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The tenancy deposit protection legislation applies to all new tenancy deposits taken on or after 6 April 2007 for qualifying assured shorthold tenancies. This legislation is not intended to apply to licensees. Property guardianship schemes are private arrangements between a building owner and/or guardian company and one or more individuals, where property guardians can be asked to live in conditions which do not meet the standards expected in residential properties. The Government does not endorse or encourage the use of property guardianship schemes as a form of housing tenure.

Help to Buy Scheme

John Healey: To ask Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any external research or analysis commissioned by his Department on the Help to Buy scheme has not yet been published.

Dominic Raab: My Department commissioned a further independent evaluation of Help to Buy: Equity Loan to cover the period 2015-17. It is in its final stages and will be published later this year.A previous independent evaluation of Help to Buy: Equity Loan covered the period 2013-15 and was published in February 2016.

Help to Buy Scheme

John Healey: To ask Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding allocated to Help to Buy equity loans remains unspent; and what estimate he has made of funding (a) allocated and (b) taken up on Help to Buy equity loans in each financial year to 2020-21.

Dominic Raab: Help to Buy: Equity Loan is demand-led; and at the end of September 2017, the total value of equity loans given out through the scheme was £7.39 billion.The Government has committed over £22 billion to the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme from its launch in April 2013 to March 2021. This includes the further £10 billion announced in October 2017.Full details by quarter are set out in Table 1 of the statistical release to end September 2017:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/672965/20180111_HTB_EL_and_HTB_NewBuy_statistical_release.pdf

Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many times the Government's Homelessness Reduction Taskforce has met; what dates that taskforce met; what that taskforce's membership is; what that taskforce's terms of reference are; and to whom that taskforce reports.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Taskforce met for the first time on 7 March 2018 and will meet on a regular basis to support the development and implementation of the Rough Sleeping Strategy. Following publication of the strategy the Taskforce will focus on reducing broader homelessness.The Taskforce is chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt Hon David Lidington MP, and reports to the Prime Minister. Its membership brings together ministers from key departments, which includes the Secretaries of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, HM Treasury and six junior ministers whose portfolios cover rough sleeping and homelessness.The published terms of reference for the Taskforce are as follows:“To deliver the Government’s objective to reduce homelessness and halve rough sleeping over the course of the Parliament through driving action across national and local Government, other public services and the voluntary and community sector.”

Homelessness: Weather

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of (a) provision, (b) availability and (c) funding for shelters for (i) homeless people and (ii) rough sleepers during periods of extremely cold weather; and what comparative assessment he has made of the level of (A) provision and (B) demand for such services.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Homeless Link publishes annual guidance on the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) and it is our expectation that local authorities work together with partners to provide basic emergency accommodation to minimise the risk of harm to individuals when the temperature drops. I recently wrote to local authorities about the guidance on SWEP which can help them protect rough sleepers in their areas at this time.Homeless Link also publish the results of a survey of accommodation provided under SWEP or as part of wider winter provision, which you can find on their website. https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/SWEP%20survey%20report%202016-17.pdfNo one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why we are aiming to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027. A new Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce brings together relevant ministers from across Government, and will drive forward the implementation of a cross-Government strategy to tackle this issue. They are supported by an Advisory Panel made up of experts from local government and the homelessness sector.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Food

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many operational ration packs have been disposed of in each of the last five years and what the total tonnage is of those packs.

Guto Bebb: Only out-of-date Operational Ration Packs (ORPs) are withdrawn from use and disposed of in line with current food safety legislation and guidelines by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Based on information recorded on Ministry of Defence Inventory Management systems, the number of ORPs that have been disposed of is given below. The weight of these disposals is not recorded.  Financial YearNumber of ORPs2013-141102014-155,0042015-1610,7982016-1714,273

Armed Forces: Food

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing surplus ration packs to homeless people.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2017 to Question 1786 on Armed Forces: Food what progress his Department has made on diverting surplus Operational Ration Packs to people who are homeless.

Guto Bebb: The Ministry of Defence is reviewing its storage and disposal policy for ration packs.

Warships

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 26 February 2018 to Questions 128460 and 128462, whether his Department holds the average yearly cost per vessel of (a) Type 23, (b) Type 45, (c) Hunt Class, (d) Sandown Class and (e) Albion Class vessels.

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2018 to Question 128462, whether his Department has estimated figures for the total yearly cost of operating the following the (a) Type 26, (b) Type 31e and (c) River Class OPV Batch 2 vessels when in service.

Guto Bebb: The average yearly cost per vessel of each Type 23, Type 45, Hunt Class, Sandown Class and Albion Class vessel could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Estimated figures for the total yearly cost of operating a Type 31e and Type 26 are not yet available.The cost of operating a River Class Offshore Patrol Batch 2 Vessel will be determined by the specific operational programmes of the ships when they enter service. We have used the cost of the current in service Batch 1 Offshore Patrol Vessels as the basis of our planning which is £6.5 million per year.

Ministry of Defence: LIBOR

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence of 5 March 2018, Official Report, column 12, when it became his policy to pay for additional facilities out of the LIBOR funds.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Defence of 5th March 2018, Official Report, column 12, how his Department defines (a) additional facilities and (b) core activities.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list every use of LIBOR funds by his Department.

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with charities on the use of funding from LIBOR fines.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is clear that LIBOR funding should not be used to fund Departmental core responsibilities. The funding application form explicitly states that funds cannot be used to top-up existing grants and aids from Government Departments or for projects, activities or services that the State has a legal obligation to provide. The use of LIBOR fines to support additional facilities and programmes over and above the core activities, support, and infrastructure provided by the MOD is entirely consistent with the scope of the LIBOR fund. Armed Forces related LIBOR grants, including bespoke funds such as the Armed Forces Covenant Fund and Aged Veterans Fund, are committed by HM Treasury and administered by the MOD. Veterans, emergency services charities and other related good causes benefit from hundreds of millions of pounds from LIBOR banking fines. Money given to Departments since 2012 from these fines is ring fenced to be spent on these worthy causes. Funding for centres and facilities is consistent with supporting good causes and is making a difference to the Armed Forces community. As part of the routine governance of the LIBOR fund, in early 2017 the Treasury commissioned a review of all LIBOR grants committed since 2012. This review, which will include all LIBOR grants made directly by HM Treasury, as well as grants awarded under the Covenant Fund, the Aged Veterans Fund and the Veterans Accommodation Fund, will report in summer 2018. The National Audit Office have been kept fully informed of the progress of the review. As the Minister responsible for Service people and veterans, I meet regularly with Service charity representatives and discuss a wide range of issues, including funding.

Defence Equipment: Exports

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed US steel tariffs on the UK defence industry.

Guto Bebb: The US and UK draw significant mutual security and economic benefit from our close defence industrial co-operation. The Government has been clear that tariffs are not the right way to address the global problem of overcapacity in the steel industry, which requires a multilateral solution. We are talking to defence suppliers and trade associations about potential impacts, and the Government will work with EU partners to consider the scope for exemptions.

Warships

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces of 5 March 2018, Official Report, column 6, how many Royal Navy surface fleet vessels there have been in the Armed Forces in each of the last five years; and how many such vessels the Government plans to have in each of the next five years.

Guto Bebb: The size of the fleet is growing for the first time in 15 years. Based on the records held, the number of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary surface vessels in each of the last five years was: YearNumber of Vessels201378201477201575201673201772 On current planning assumptions the number of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary surface vessels in the next five years is: YearNumber of Vessels201876201976202077202177202277

Ministry of Defence: Boeing

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has in place to agree new contracts with Boeing.

Guto Bebb: The Ministry of Defence has significant business with Boeing, a large proportion of which is conducted through the Foreign Military Sales process with the US Government rather than direct contracting with the company. This includes the acquisition of the new P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, AH-64 Apache helicopters and the recently announced £260 million support arrangement for the C-17 heavy lift aircraft. We cannot comment on what future requirements may be, or on any potential contractors.

Armed Forces: Smoking

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to monitor smoking prevalence among serving armed forces personnel and veterans; and if he will he make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been monitoring smoking prevalence among UK Armed Forces personnel since 2014. We are taking targeted measures to reduce smoking rates in support of Government plans for a smoke free generation.From January 2014 to January 2018 smoking prevalence among Serving personnel reduced by approximately 5%.The MOD has no plans to monitor smoking prevalence in veterans.

Armed Forces: Dogs

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether each of the military working dogs he instructed his Department in December 2017 to save has now been re-homed.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



One of the dogs has been rehomed and the other is in the process of being rehomed.

Armed Forces: Females

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of opportunities available to women in ground close combat roles.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many female (a) officers and (b) non-commissioned personnel are serving in ground close combat units.

Mark Lancaster: Following the announcement in July 2016 that the exclusion on women serving in Ground Close Combat (GCC) roles had been lifted, the Army opened the Royal Armoured Corps from November 2016 and the Royal Air Force Regiment was opened from September 2017. The Infantry and the Royal Marines are due to open from the end of this year. Marketing and recruiting material continues to be updated to show women in those roles now open to them.The number of female officers and other ranks in GCC roles as of 12 March 2018 is shown below:  ArmyRAF RegtOfficers10~Other Ranks20~ Notes: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10 to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality.~ denotes numbers less than 5.Numbers represent Regular and Reserve personnel.

Army

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Order of Battle is by (a) manpower and (b) basing locations for the (i) Infantry, (ii) Royal Artillery, (iii) Royal Corps of Signals, (iv) Army Medical Services, (v) Adjutant General's Corps, (vi) Royal Armoured Corps, (vii) Army Air Corps, (viii) Royal Engineers, (ix) Royal Logistics Corps, (x) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and (xi) Intelligence Corps.

Mark Lancaster: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



A breakdown of Army units by corps, with details of their current liability and location, is provided in the attached table. The units are listed in corps order of precedence and the table includes both reserve and regular units, but excludes training regiments.As part of the Army 2020 (Refine) work announced by the then Secretary of State for Defence on 15 December 2016, the Army is currently reshaping its structures. This means that some details will change as Army 2020 (Refine) continues to be developed and implemented.



Location and Liability of Army Units by Corps
(PDF Document, 293.06 KB)

Ministry of Defence: Motor Vehicles

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vehicles his Department (a) owns and (b) leases.

Guto Bebb: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Pay

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel in specialist positions have been informed they are no longer eligible for specialist pay and are required to repay it.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It will take some time to gather the information required to answer the hon. Member's question and I will write to him shortly.

Scotland Office

Local Government Finance: Scotland

Luke Graham: If he will discuss with the Scottish Government steps to prevent accounting errors which are detrimental to local government budgets; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: Local Government is a devolved matter in Scotland and all issues relating to local government budgets and accounting are the responsibility of the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government both attend the CIPFA/LASAAC Accounting Code Board, where accounting rules and best practice for local authorities across the UK are discussed. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government officials also have ad hoc contact with Scottish Government officials to share best practice and discuss matters of mutual interest for Local Government Finance in England and Scotland.

Council Tax: Scotland

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much was collected in council tax in Scotland in each of the last five years.

David Mundell: Council Tax is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and is administered by Local Authorities. It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to collect, analyse and disseminate data on local government, including council tax matters. Data is publicly available and accessible online at the following link:https://beta.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-collection-statistics-2016-17/

Stamp Duties: Scotland

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much was paid in reserved stamp duties in Scotland in each of the last five years.

David Mundell: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) no longer applies in Scotland. From 1 April 2015, SDLT was devolved to the Scottish Government and was replaced with Land and Buildings Transactions Tax (LBTT). Revenue Scotland is now responsible for administering LBTT with support from Registers of Scotland (RoS). HMRC published data for SDLT’s receipts in Scotland up to the end of the financial year 2014-15. Data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/648213/ASTP-Release-Bulletin-Sept17.pdf From the year 2015-16 onwards, it is the responsibility of Revenue Scotland to publish data on LBTT collection in Scotland. Monthly data on LBTT is published by Revenue Scotland at the following link:https://www.revenue.scot/about-us/publications/statistics/land-and-buildings-transaction-tax-statistics-0

Department for International Trade

Foreign Investment in UK: Far East

Luke Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's work in helping secure further investment into Scotland from mainland China and Hong Kong.

Graham Stuart: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has a whole of UK approach to investment and actively promotes Scotland as one of the leading locations to invest in and set up business operations. There are also DIT officials based in Scotland, working on export and investment promotion. From April 2017 to date, working in collaboration with Scottish Development International (SDI), DIT has supported several investments into Scotland from China and Hong Kong, creating 176 jobs. DIT provides a pipeline of projects to the Devolved Administrations and works together to ensure projects land in the UK.

Import Duties: USA

Faisal Rashid: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the US’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on the future negotiation of a strong trading partnership between the US and UK after the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands: The United States and United Kingdom are strong partners and allies. The US-UK bilateral trading relationship is an important one and vital to our economy. Total trade between the UK and US in 2016 was £167.6bn and both sides have committed to deepening our commercial relationship further.The Government has made representations to the US Administration at the highest levels, on the proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, including when the Prime Minister raised the UK's concerns with President Trump.We will continue our positive and productive conversations with the US, on strengthening our bilateral trade and investment relationship, through the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group.

Import Duties: USA

Faisal Rashid: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the US’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on international trade relations.

Greg Hands: We have a long-standing and special relationship with the US. The US and UK are strong partners and allies and the US-UK economic and security relationship is crucially important.As the Prime Minister outlined to President Trump, when she raised the UK's concerns relating to these tariffs on 4 March, multilateral action is the best way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity, in commodities such as steel and aluminium. The Government is continuing to make representations to the US Administration, at the highest levels on the proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

Women and Equalities

Presidents Club

Yvette Cooper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Equality and Human Rights Commission plans to investigate the Artista agency as a result of reports relating to the Presidents Club fundraising dinner of 18 January 2018; and whether the Government has had discussions with any other statutory body on undertaking such an investigation.

Victoria Atkins: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to Artista about the reports relating to the Presidents' Club dinner and will consider next steps in light of Artista's response.The Government has not had discussions with other statutory bodies about such an investigation.

Equality

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the timetable is of the publication  of the updated Advisory Statement on implementing the Equality Duty by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.

Victoria Atkins: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is currently undertaking a review of its guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty for public authorities in England and non-devolved bodies in Scotland and Wales. The revised guidance will be published on the Commission's website in the summer.

Department for Transport

Public Transport: Hospitals

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether public transport providers are taking steps to ensure that patients and staff can get to NHS hospital sites in England as safely, conveniently and economically as possible.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The bus market in England outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding service provision are primarily a matter for bus operators, although local authorities do support socially necessary routes that are not commercially viable. The Bus Services Act 2017 provides the tools local authorities need to improve local bus services. We are working with local authorities to determine which of the powers provided are best able to support bus networks in their areas.

Model Aircraft

David Warburton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the draft Drone Bill on model flying.

Jesse Norman: The Government recognises the long-standing safety culture adopted by model flying associations. We are working with the Civil Aviation Authority and model aircraft flying associations to explore ways in which we can reduce any unnecessary impacts of drone regulations on their activities. We will be taking this approach to the draft Drone Bill, too. The draft Drone Bill will be accompanied by a public consultation which will cover the impact of the proposed Bill on all affected groups, including model aircraft flyers. The feedback from this consultation will be used to refine the Drone Bill before its introduction.

European Aviation Safety Agency

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support the Government is offering to UK pilot licence holders in the five year transfer period for registering for an EASA licence.

Jesse Norman: Under the EASA Aircrew Regulation pilots of EASA aircraft are required to hold an EASA licence. However, certain non EASA aeroplane and helicopter licences remain valid until 8 April 2018 to enable a smooth transition to the new requirements. The CAA publicised the requirement when the Aircrew Regulation was adopted and has been actively advising licence holders of this requirement through a variety of channels. Those seeking further information will find it on the CAA website. All pilots who hold a licence issued under the Joint Aviation Requirements that preceded the Aircrew Regulation and who have a valid medical certificate, without which they cannot fly an EASA aircraft, have now been issued with an EASA licence. This is the vast majority of pilots who hold such licences. The holders of other licences that wish to fly EASA aircraft will need to convert their licence to an EASA licence. However, there is no obligation on pilots to convert their licences. Those that do not convert their licences will still be able to fly non-EASA aircraft such as historic, homebuilt or very light aircraft.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nuclear Disarmament

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the UN Security Council P5 process on non-proliferation and confidence-building measures on nuclear disarmament has made; and where and when the next P5 meeting on non-proliferation and confidence-building will take place.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK initiated the P5 process in 2009 to build mutual trust, understanding and transparency between the Nuclear Weapon States as these are essential prerequisites towards our shared goal of a world without nuclear weapons. Discussing divergent views is part of this process. The last P5 meeting involving representatives from capitals took place in October 2017 when the dialogue on strategic stability and nuclear doctrines, started in October 2016, continued. The P5 also meet at expert level in a number of different fora. The next P5 meeting should take place in the margins of the second Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in Geneva.

Kurds: Foreign Relations

Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, With whom the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN met with in an official capacity during his recent visit to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; what subjects were discussed in those meetings; what assessment he has made of the value of visit to UK-Kurdistan Region relations; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: ​On 2 and 3 March, the Minister for The Commonwealth and UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon met the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Nechirvan Barzani; the Head of the Department for Foreign Relations, Falah Mustafa; Minister of Interior, Karim Sinjari; and representatives from Women's Rights, Yezidi and Christian organisations. The Minister's visit was primarily focused on preventing sexual violence in conflict, holding perpetrators to account and supporting survivors. The Minister pressed the KRG to meet its international obligations on human rights, discussed challenges around preventing sexual violence in conflict and gender-based violence, and emphasised the importance of female participation in the policatical and reconciliation process. It was a positive visit which advanced UK objectives and underlined UK support for the Kurdistan Region within a unified Iraq.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with this counterpart in Sudan on UN proposals to drawdown peacekeepers in (a) Darfur and (b) other parts of that country.

Harriett Baldwin: During a bilateral meeting with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 12 December, the then Minister for Africa raised the reconfiguration of the United Nations – African Union Mission (UNAMID) and in particular sought an update on the opening of a temporary UNAMID base in Golo, Jebel Marra. We continue to monitor closely the situation in Darfur and urge the Government of Sudan to extend their full cooperation to UNAMID. Our priority is to ensure that any changes that are made to UNAMID or the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) are done sensibly, with appropriate review points and that the missions are still able the fulfil the core components of their mandates.

Muhammad Tamimi

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the arrest of 15-year-old Muhammad Tamimi in a night raid on Monday 26 February in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, if he will make representations to his Israeli counterpart to raise this case and (a) seek a formal response explaining the Israeli Government’s reasoning and actions and (b) call on the Israeli Government to uphold its obligations to implement the (i) protections and (ii) due process that children are entitled to under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: ​We are following this case closely and our Embassy in Tel Aviv will raise this case with the relevant Israeli authorities. The issue of children in detention remains a human rights priority for the Government. We remain concerned in particular about continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Israel is a State Party, clearly sets out the need to grant special care and protection to children and we have repeatedly and publicly called on Israel to fulfil its international legal obligations in this regard.We are following this case closely and our Embassy in Tel Aviv will raise this case with the relevant Israeli authorities. This issue of children in detention remains a human rights priority for this Government, and the UK remains concerned in particular about continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Israel is a State Party, clearly sets out the need to grant special care and protection to children. We have repeatedly and publicly called on Israel to fulfil its international legal obligations in this regard.

Department for International Development

South Sudan: Administration of Justice

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department has provided to assist in developing the courts and judicial system in South Sudan in each of the last three years.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK aid funded Access to Justice Programme (2014 – 2016) aimed to increase access to justice for vulnerable South Sudanese, particularly women and girls and those affected by or at risk of violence. The programme spent £1,173,529 in 2015 and £207,967 in 2016. As a result of the escalation of the conflict in South Sudan in July 2016, officials carried out a thorough review of the work and closed the programme in October 2016. Changes in the operating context meant that the programme would no longer be able to deliver the results planned. We maintain close links with those operating in the justice sector in South Sudan and will look to re-engage when appropriate in the future.

Department for International Development: MapAction

Stephen Kerr: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps her Department has taken to support the work of MapAction.

Alistair Burt: DFID will support MapAction with £615k of funding over four years (2017-2020). We recognise the critical service MapAction provides and we remain very supportive of its work. It is one of the only Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) with the capacity to deploy a fully trained and equipped humanitarian mapping team during a humanitarian emergency.

South Sudan: Famine

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to (a) tackle and (b) prevent famine in South Sudan.

Harriett Baldwin: Although famine has not been formally declared in 2018, South Sudan continues to experience record levels of food insecurity as a result of the ongoing conflict. 5.3 million people, nearly half the population, are estimated to be severely food insecure - a 40% increase from the same time last year. 1 million people are on the edge of famine.To tackle food insecurity and prevent famine, UK Aid is working with partners like the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Humanitarian Air Service to get food and nutrition supplies to key locations across the country – by truck, helicopter or barge. With support from the UK and other international donors, so far this year WFP has reached almost 1.6 million people with a total of 18,000 metric tonnes of food. They are also continuing to preposition stocks at key locations across the country in anticipation of future need.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the use of sexual violence as a weapon in conflict.

Alistair Burt: DFID supports the Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) through our research programme, specific projects to address violence against women and girls, and through the UK’s Humanitarian Reform Policy. DFID’s flagship ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’ research programme focuses on addressing the root causes of violence against women and girls in conflict and humanitarian settings, including sexual violence. The focus of this research is on understanding how to stop violence before it starts, with evidence used across UK government programmes to prevent and respond to sexual violence in conflict. DFID country offices are at the forefront of support to help reduce and mitigate gender based violence, including sexual violence in fragile and conflict affected states. At the World Humanitarian Summit (2016) the UK pushed forward the implementation of global commitments to protect women and girls in emergencies to deliver specific measures to reduce their vulnerability to violence and exploitation. For example, agreeing the application by partner agencies of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) gender based violence in emergency guidelines.

Bangladesh: Rohingya

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the diphtheria epidemic in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Alistair Burt: Following a diphtheria outbreak in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh the UK Emergency Medical Team (EMT) was deployed for six weeks from late December 2017 to early February 2018. A 40 strong team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and paramedics helped more than 3,000 Rohingya. Almost 500 people were treated for diphtheria and if not for British help, many could have died. DFID also provided £2 million to vaccinate children against diphtheria. With the outbreak now under control, UK teams have built capacity and handed over to local Bangladeshi health professionals to complete the diphtheria response.

Department for Education

Pre-school Education: Labour Turnover

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to 2017/18 Workforce Study, published by the National Day Nurseries Association, if he will publish a response to the findings of that report that (a) 69 per cent of level 3 leavers were moving out of early years as they had lost passion for working in the sector due to policy and sector changes and (b) 51 per cent of those entering as unqualified workers or apprentices have left or not been retained as they were unsuited to the role.

Nadhim Zahawi: We have noted the findings of the survey of employers and employees conducted by the National Day Nurseries Association. We will consider it alongside other evidence that we collect, including our nationally representative surveys of parents and providers. The department response to the findings was included in the Nursery World Report: https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1163707/early-years-recruitment-crisis-putting-governments-30-hours-policy-at-risk.

Pre-school Education: Assessments

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Baseline Assessment: Why it doesn't add up, published by More than a Score in February 2018, whether his Department plans to revise its support for baseline assessments following the publication of that report.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the evidential basis of the effectiveness of baseline assessments.

Nadhim Zahawi: Before the introductions of the new baseline assessment in autumn 2020, there will be a trial and extensive pilot. Data produced in the trial and pilot phases will be evaluated to ensure that it is suitably accurate and reliable enough to be used for the new end-to-end progress measure. Our research report, cited in the primary assessment government consultation as evidential basis, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/318052/RR344_-_Performance_Indicators_in_Primary_ Schools.pdf.

Children: Day Care

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Childcare survey 2018, published by the Family and Childcare Trust, if his Department will publish a response to that report; and if he will publish a response to the findings in that report that (a) the average price for 25 hours per week of nursery childcare has risen by 7 per cent since 2017, (b) 45 per cent of local authorities in England reported having enough childcare places for working parents to access their 30 hours entitlement and (c) the majority of local authorities do not have enough childcare available for (i) children needing after school care, (ii) parents working outside normal office hours and (iii) disabled children.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Family and Childcare Trust (FCT)’s Childcare Survey 2018 shows that parents are now spending less of their wages on childcare as a result of the steps taken by the government. Local authorities are confident about the long-term future of the government’s childcare offer and the benefits that parents are already seeing from the 30 hours scheme. The department will continue to work with the FCT to understand the childcare issues affecting parents and to continue to remove barriers to taking up employment. The results of the survey can be found here: https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/childcare-survey-2018.

Out-of-School Education: Inspections

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of expanding the definition of school which Ofsted can inspect to include unregistered schools.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken against the proprietors of unregistered schools in each of the last five years; and how many such cases have been referred to the CPS in that same period.

Anne Milton: Ofsted already has the power to carry out inspections, where it has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered school is being operated on the premises.Since January 2016, we have operated and funded a joint team with Ofsted to investigate unregistered schools, which has had significant success. In the last two years this team have conducted 192 inspections and issued 50 warning notices to suspected illegal schools, 38 of which have ceased to operate or have closed.The offence of operating an unregistered independent educational establishment is created by section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. Since 5 January 2015, two cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for early advice following which investigations were discontinued. Two further cases were referred to the CPS for a charging decision. Neither of these cases met the evidential test under the Code for Crown Prosecutors. A further case is currently with the CPS for advice.

Schools: Admissions

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of making compulsory the registration of the place of education of children of compulsory school age.

Anne Milton: The department keeps under review the need for extension of registration requirements.

Grammar Schools

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's response to FOI request FOI: 2018-0002247 CRM:0741007, if he will publish the location of the three grammar schools which contacted his Department in January and February 2017 to enquire about expansion onto a separate site from the existing school.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the answer to the Freedom of Information request, FOI: 2018-0002247, CRM:0741007  if he will publish the distances between the main school sites and the proposed annex sites of each of the three grammar schools.

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the answer to the Freedom of Information request, FOI: 2018-0002247 CRM:0741007, whether any of the three grammar schools which contacted his Department enquired about a site in a different local authority area from the main school building.

Nick Gibb: The locations of the three schools that contacted the Department were withheld under Section 36(2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act. Disclosure of the information would be likely otherwise to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. A public interest test was carried out and the decision to withhold this information is maintained.One of the three schools that contacted the Department suggested a specific site for an annex. This was on land adjacent to the current school site and within the same local authority area.

Further Education: Cybercrime

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and (b) the Home Department on the changes to funding of Jisc for cyber security at Further Education Colleges.

Anne Milton: Holding answer received on 13 March 2018



The department funds Jisc to provide information and communications technology infrastructure and related services to further education colleges in England through the Janet computer network. We will continue to cover most of these costs when the college subscriptions are introduced. Jisc has developed its cyber-security capability over a number of years as an integral part of Janet. Any college using the network benefits from this capability. We have not discussed the revised funding arrangements with other departments.

Academies: Finance

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has spent from the public purse on grants and loans to academies and free schools since 2015.

Nadhim Zahawi: Holding answer received on 13 March 2018



As of January 2018, 3.76 million pupils were being taught in academies, including free schools – 47% of the English school population. The department’s spend and loans to academies and free schools in the last two full Financial Years, is as detailed in the table attached. We are in the process of making a routine update to the data that we hold on pre and post-opening grant allocations for free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools, following the opening of new schools in September. We will be publishing the latest data on GOV.UK in due course. Further information can be found in the Department's Consolidated annual report and accounts, for the year ended 31 March 2017, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dfe-annual-reports and in the National Audit Office report on Converting maintained schools to academies, Feb 2018, which can be found at: https://www.nao.org.uk.



Spend and loans to academies and free schools 
(Word Document, 12.75 KB)

Apprentices: Disadvantaged

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the annual budget for additional support in areas of disadvantage for apprenticeships was up to 1 May 2017, what proportion of that budget was spent; and what proportion of the budget since 1 May 2017 has been spent.

Anne Milton: Holding answer received on 13 March 2018



There is no separate additional allocated budget for disadvantage funding support. Apprenticeships is a demand led programme, and we have forecast spending of up to £60 million to support training of individuals from disadvantaged areas, with no restrictions on starts from certain areas.

Apprentices

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding his Department has allocated to apprenticeships in each year since 2015; and how much such funding his Department allocated by region.

Anne Milton: The department has made available £2.01 billion of funding for apprenticeships in the 2017-18 financial year. We do not allocate funding on a regional basis.The table below sets out the total funding we have made available to apprenticeships for the financial years 2015-16 to 2017-18: Financial year2015-162016-172017-18Total funding £ (billion)£1.54£1.81£2.01

Free School Meals

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils were entitled to free school meals in (a) Leeds North West Constituency and (b) England in each of the last ten years for which information is available.

Nadhim Zahawi: The proportion of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals is published at the annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2017. Data is not summarised by parliamentary constituency, but data for each school is available in the ‘Underlying data: SFR28/2017’ of the annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release, contained in file ‘SFR28_2017_Schools_Pupils_UD’. The figures can be filtered by school phase (column N), school type (column O), parliamentary constituency (column V) and Free School Meal eligibility (column ED). Information for earlier years (from 2010 onwards) can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.

Free School Meals: Leeds North West

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the number pupils that will be entitled to free school meals in Leeds North West constituency as a result of his Department's proposals to change the threshold for eligibility for  free school meals eligibility under universal credit.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of pupils entitled to free school meals in the Leeds North West constituency after recent changes to the  threshold for free school meals eligibility under universal credit.

Nadhim Zahawi: The department has not made constituency-level forecasts of the number of pupils that will be entitled to free school meals under the new criteria. At a national level, it is estimated that by 2022 around 50,000 more children will benefit from a free school meal compared to the previous benefits system.

Children: Day Care

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's guidance, 30 hours delivery support fund: revenue funding allocations for 2017 to 2018, if he will publish the methodology used to calculate those allocations.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2018 to Question 125657, whether the £398,250.00 allocated for local authorities in his Department's guidance, 30 hours delivery support fund: grants for local authorities for 2017-18 is the total amount that will be allocated in that time period.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons fewer than a third of local authorities received a grant from the 2017-2018 delivery support fund; and if he will publish the criteria by which his Department judged whether such a grant would be allocated to successful applicants.

Nadhim Zahawi: Funding was made available through the Delivery Support Fund for work that directly benefits 30 hours delivery and will create (directly or indirectly) 30 hours places for the 2018 summer term. The bid round guidance set out that we would assess local authorities’ applications against the following three areas: 1) Evidence of local delivery needs - the extent to which a local authority a) demonstrated understanding of their local demand and how they expect this to increase by the 2018 summer term and b) demonstrated the barriers or challenges they are facing. 2) Summary of the proposal - the extent to which a local authority demonstrated how their proposed project(s) would effectively address the challenges they face, and how it would help them to secure sufficient places for the 2018 summer term. 3) Delivery plan - the extent to which a local authority demonstrated that their project(s) are well costed, and that they would have the necessary skills and resources required to successfully deliver their work. We ran a three-stage assessment process to inform the funding decisions. This consisted of a sifting exercise, an assessment panel and a financial evaluation panel. The revenue and capital funding allocations can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-hours-delivery-support-fund-grants-for-local-authorities.

Children: Day Care

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding each local authority has received from the 30 hours delivery support fund for the Summer 2018 term.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Delivery Support Fund will provide support to the 147 local authorities who submitted a bid for funding. Funding allocations are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-hours-delivery-support-fund-grants-for-local-authorities.

Free Schools

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers the Education Skills Funding Agency have to compulsory purchase land from local authorities for free schools.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what powers the Education Skills Funding Agency has to compulsory purchase land from private land owners for free school sites.

Nick Gibb: The Education and Skills Funding Agency has no powers to compulsory purchase land from either local authorities or private landowners.

Free Schools

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Education Skills Funding Agency is required to consult local communities on plans for a new free school before planning permission is sought.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether people in local communities have the right to object to plans for the establishment of a free school in their area.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether people in local communities have a statutory right to challenge the purchase of (a) community assets and (b) other community land for the location of free schools.

Nick Gibb: Academy trusts proposing to set up a free school have a statutory duty under the Academies Act 2010 to consult on whether to enter into a funding agreement with the Secretary of State to establish a free school. The Act states that trusts should consult “such persons as the trust thinks appropriate”, which should include nearby schools, the local authority, any surrounding local authorities, groups with an interest, the local population, and faith groups. The Secretary of State is also required to complete an assessment of the impact the opening of the school would have on schools in the area, before entering into a funding agreement with the trust. The Education and Skills Funding Agency works with its contractors and consultants to engage with the local community prior to the submission of a formal planning application, and there is a statutory duty on the local authority, as prescribed in the 2015 Development Management Procedure Order, to consult local communities prior to determination of the application. The statutory right to challenge the purchase of community assets and other community land for the location of free schools is a local authority matter. If a building or land is registered as an asset of community value, there is a statutory process, under the Localism Act 2011, that a seller of that asset must follow in order to dispose of the land and local authorities would be responsible for taking this forward.

Children's Centres

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2018 to Question 131079 on Children's Centres, if he will publish the evidence his  Department gathered on children's centres.

Nadhim Zahawi: I refer the hon. Member for Batley and Spen to the answer I gave on 8 March 2018 to question 131079 and the answer I gave on 1 February 2018 to question 125413.- http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-03-05/131079/.- http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-29/125413/.The government intends to work with sector leaders to identify how best to achieve the social mobility ambition set out in the report ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’, including through children’s centres. The department will provide more information in due course. The report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667690/Social_Mobility_Action_Plan_-_for_printing.pdf.

Physical Education: GCSE

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to review the AQA GCSE Physical Education framework to offer a wider variety of options in the marking criteria.

Nick Gibb: As previously announced, the Government will review the GCSE physical education activity list in autumn 2018, following the first examinations this summer. The Department will agree this process with the examination boards and Ofqual and announce details closer to the time. This review will apply to published subject content with which all examination boards are required to comply. The Department would not expect this to lead to changes in the marking criteria.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Plastics: Waste

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect the recent Chinese ban on mixed plastic waste from the UK will have on the financial cost and size of domestic landfill.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Environment Agency’s most recent assessment shows that the UK’s infrastructure will allow for additional disposal of waste, if necessary, to landfill to prevent other more serious risks to human health and the environment, though we are working to respect the waste hierarchy.

Agriculture: Scotland

Andrew Bowie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Scottish Government on the management of farm payments to Scottish Farmers after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: The Secretary of State last met with the Scottish Government and other devolved administrations on 26 February to discuss the Government’s consultation document ‘Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a green Brexit’. The Government is committed to working closely with the devolved administrations to deliver an approach that works for the whole of the UK, and reflects the needs and individual circumstances of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. Future agriculture policy including the management of farm payments is a matter for individual devolved administrations.

Hinkley Point B Power Station: Dredging

James Frith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2017 to Question 118084, on Dredging, what steps he has taken to ensure that works relating to the development of the Hinkley B site comply with the London Convention 1972.

George Eustice: The Secretary of State is the appropriate licensing authority for the English inshore and offshore regions, although most of the Secretary of State’s licensing functions have been delegated to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA). Under Section 71(6) of the MCAA the MMO is required to comply with international law when exercising its licensing functions, including the London Protocol 1996. This Protocol was adopted in 1996 to modernise the London Convention 1972. The MMO has issued one licence for maintenance activities at Hinkley Point B for the removal of sand and cobble material along the base of the sea wall, in order to keep the power station’s surface water drains clear. The licence is valid between 2015 and 2025, and allows for removed material to be deposited or ‘spread’ across a beach located to the east of Hinkley Point B. Any dredging activities associated with the original construction of Hinkley Point B station would have been considered by the relevant regulator at the time of the application.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme: South West

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the number of holdings currently in receipt of Countryside Stewardship Payments in each county in the South West for each of the latest three years for which information is available.

George Eustice: So far, payments for Countryside Stewardship have been made for agreements starting in 2016 and 2017. The number of agreements eligible for payment in each year is as follows:  CountyAgreements eligible to receive payments 2016  Agreements eligible to receive payments 2017*Cornwall159339Devon305678Dorset73171Gloucestershire90190Somerset168366Wiltshire52183 * The sum of the number of agreements starting in 2016 and 2017.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to allocate funding to the (a) National Wildlife Crime Unit and (b) CITES Border Force team at Heathrow, to prevent the illegal trade in wildlife after 2020.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra, together with the Home Office, have committed funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) until 2019/20. Decisions on funding and departmental allocations beyond 2020 will be taken at the next Spending Review.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the amended Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) regulations will (a) be published and (b) come into force.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The consolidated regulations, Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations 2018, will be laid before Parliament this spring. Subject to parliamentary clearance the regulations will come into force before the end of the year.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether cybercrime is planned to be an agenda item at the October 2018 London conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether representatives of (a) online marketplaces and (b) social media companies will be invited to the October 2018 London Illegal Wildlife Trade conference.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role (a) NGOs (b) enforcement agencies and (c) conservation organisations will play at the October 2018 London Illegal Wildlife Trade conference; and whether speaking slots will be made available for them.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra is preparing for the London 2018 Illegal Wildlife Trade conference. This includes working closely with representatives from conservation organisations, enforcement agencies and the business sector. I cannot confirm details of individual sessions and speakers because the agenda for the conference has not yet been set.

Ivory: Sales

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to publish its response to the consultation on banning UK sales of ivory; and what assessment he has made of the time-scale for introducing a proposed ban.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We received over 70,000 responses to our consultation on banning sales of ivory in the UK, of which over 30,000 arrived in the final week. Many of the responses were very detailed and all must be carefully analysed to help inform our final policy. We will publish our response to the consultation shortly, including indications of next steps.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made on the potential merits of data visualisation training to improve his Departmental's analysis of complex statistical data.

George Eustice: Defra recognises the merits of data visualisation tools and techniques in the analysis of the range of complex statistical data that informs the department’s work and its formal published statistics. A range of training courses are currently available to staff, including ‘An introduction to data visualisation’ and ‘Communicating statistics’, which are both offered by the Government Statistical Service Learning Academy. The Royal Statistical Society offers a ‘Foundation level course on data visualisation’. In addition, the Data Science Accelerator offers the opportunity to develop data science skills including advanced visualisation (like R Shiny, Leaflet and D3).

Clean Air Zones

Stephen Morgan: Whether he plans to expand clean air zones.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Local authorities already have powers to create clean air zones. None currently exist but proposals for them are being drawn up by some local authorities.

River Lea: Pollution Control

Mr David Lammy: What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Environment Agency in preventing oil spills in the River Lea; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I refer the hon. Member to the replies previously given on 6 March 2018, PQs 129872, 129873, 129874 and 129875. Whilst it is not possible to prevent all oil spills into the river, in this incident, the Environment Agency have traced the waste oil to a potential polluter, details of which cannot currently be released due to the ongoing investigation. In previous incidents where oil pollution was not traced to a particular source, the Environment Agency carried out pollution prevention visits at industrial premises which drain to the Pymmes Brook.

Neonicotinoids: EU Action

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2018 to Question 126415, and with reference to the conclusion published on 28 February 2018 from the European Food Safety Authority on the risk to wild bees and honeybees from the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, if he will set out the Government's policy on the banning of neonicotinoids; by what date the Government is asking for negotiations to restart on the matter of neonicotinoids; if he will take steps to ban neonicotinoids in the UK in the event of undue time being taken at EU level on that matter; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: The Government set out its policy on neonicotinoids on 09 November: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-secretary-backs-further-restrictions-on-neonicotinoid-pesticides The Government supports further restrictions on neonicotinoids, based on the latest evidence. A number of EU Member States indicated that they wished to see the outputs of the European Food safety Authority (EFSA) work before reaching a position on neonicotinoids. Now the EFSA work is complete, negotiations on this issue should restart in the coming months.

Attorney General

Prosecutions: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the implications of the outcome of the Gary Haggarty case for the prosecution service in Northern Ireland.

Robert Buckland: Responsibility for the Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Department of Justice NI.

Public Libraries: Theft

Graham P Jones: To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions there have been for the offence of handling stolen goods as a result of the theft or resale of local authority library books in each of the last five years.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of handling stolen goods offences prosecuted as a result of the theft or resale of library books. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost. While the CPS does not maintain a central record of the number of prosecutions arising out of the theft of local authority library books, records are held showing the number of offences of handling stolen goods in which a prosecution commenced. The table below shows the number of these offences in each of the last five available years. -2012-20132013-20142014-20152015-20162016-2017Theft Act 1968 { 22 }13,92312,81911,3259,7928,401Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System  There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case that defendants will be prosecuted for more than one offence in the same set of proceedings.

Wales Office

Local Growth Deals: North Wales

David Hanson: What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the timetable for the delivery of the North Wales growth deal.

Stuart Andrew: I have had regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues regarding the North Wales Growth Deal, especially in light of its significant cross-border aspects. The benefit of a growth deal is that they are driven by local communities, and as such the timetable is in their hands.

Hospitals: Parking

Robert Halfon: What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the abolition of hospital car parking charges in Wales.

Stuart Andrew: I have not discussed this matter with the Welsh Government.The responsibility for car parking charges in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government and decisions on whether to waive charges are entirely for the Welsh Government.

Brexit: Wales

Tony Lloyd: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on Wales of the UK leaving the EU Customs Union and single market.

Alun Cairns: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues about the opportunities leaving the Customs Union and the EU single market offers to Wales. Welsh business have already begun to seize these opportunities, as shown by the fact that their exports to non-EU countries grew faster than exports to the EU last year.

Children: Protection

Mrs Madeleine Moon: What recent discussions the Government has had with the Welsh Government on child protection in Wales.

Stuart Andrew: The provision and regulation of child protection is devolved to the Welsh Assembly, and as such is a matter for the Welsh Government. However, DfE officials have regular discussions with their Welsh Government counterparts on issues of common interest relating to child protection or safeguarding.

Ports: Wales

Carol Monaghan: What assessment he has made of the potential effect on Welsh ports of the Government’s proposed future customs arrangements with the EU.

Alun Cairns: The Government is committed to ensuring that withdrawal from the EU is a successful and smooth process for all parts of the UK. As the Prime Minister reiterated in her Mansion House speech, a fundamental principle of our negotiations with the European Commission is that the UK-EU border should be as frictionless as possible.

Ministry of Justice

New Futures Network: Staff

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of staff who will be employed by the New Futures Network on 1 April 2018.

Rory Stewart: Holding answer received on 27 February 2018



The staffing structure of the New Futures Network (NFN) will be determined by budget planning for the 2018/19 financial year and engagement with relevant trade unions. No final decision has been reached on this issue at this point.

Legal Aid Scheme: Prisoners

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment the Government has made of the implications for the public purse of the judgment in the case of R (Howard League for Penal Reform and the Prisoners’ Advice Service) v the Lord Chancellor.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Rape: Trials

Gloria De Piero: What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of prosecutions of rape which collapse due to a failure to disclose evidence; and what support his Department provides to the alleged victims in such cases.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Legal Aid Scheme: Immigration

Eleanor Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the level of provision of exceptional case funding for immigration cases relating to children.

Lucy Frazer: The Government is committed to the protection of vulnerable children, especially in cases where children lack adequate parental support. Changes to the availability of legal aid for civil legal cases were made in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) and as such a consideration of the effects of the changes will be made as part of our Post-Implementation Review of the Act, which will report later this year. Support for children in non-asylum immigration cases remains available through the Exceptional Case Funding Scheme (ECF) in cases where failure to provide legal aid would breach their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights or EU law, subject to means and merits tests.

Prisons: Organised Crime

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech to the Royal Society of Arts on 6 March 2018, how much of the £14m investment to tackle serious and organised crime in prisons, will be spent on (a) establishing teams within prisons and (b) the National Crime Agency.

Rory Stewart: We are committed to making sure that prisons are safe, decent and support rehabilitation. That is why we have invested £14m to tackle serious and organised crime, which impacts on the community and is one of the major root causes of instability in prisons. £3m will fund the Serious Organised Crime Unit, made up of a national unit and regional teams that will relentlessly undermine and disrupt serious and organised crime by providing support to local prisons and probation teams, and working closely with law enforcement. £3m will fund the National Intelligence Unit, which is already in place, working through regional teams and with law enforcement. Through better use of intelligence about the risks presented to prison security and public protection by Serious and Organised Crime Groups, HMPPS will deliver proactive, targeted and robust operational responses. Over £8m will be invested locally to allow more analysis of local intelligence, which can support intelligence led tactical searching to address identified risks and threats. We are also working closely with law enforcement partners, including the National Crime Agency, whose funding is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. Through this work we can deliver a robust joint response to those serious and organised criminals operating in prisons.

Prisons: Mobile Phones

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken is between confiscated mobile phones being sent by prisons and the information being shared with police forces.

Rory Stewart: The information requested is not available. The decision to refer a confiscated mobile phone to the police is taken on a case by case basis and therefore no data exists as to the average time taken for this to happen.

Prisons: Organised Crime

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech  to the Royal Society of Arts on 6 March 2018, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners identified as ring leaders.

Rory Stewart: We are committed to making sure that prisons are safe, decent and support rehabilitation. That is why we have invested £14m to tackle serious and organised crime, which impacts on the community and is one of the major root causes of instability in prisons. The impact of harms like violence and drug use are clear, but these are often the result of prisoners who ostensibly behave, but have others do their bidding. We need to cut these prisoners off from their network and prevent them from operating, to create environments in which prisoners can be rehabilitated. Through our own data, and closer work with law enforcement, we are looking at how we can better use intelligence and information to identify these ringleaders among the 6,500 prisoners who have links to organised crime and target them for disruption. Due to the sensitive nature of this data, I am unable to disclose more precise figures.

Reoffenders

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech to the Royal Society of Arts on 6 March 2018, which senior Ministers will be part of the cross-government group to reduce re-offending; and how often will that group meet.

Rory Stewart: Reoffending by prisoners released from custody is estimated to cost society approximately £15 billion per year. On the 6th of March 2018 the Secretary of State for Justice announced his intention to convene a cross-government group of senior Ministers to work across all relevant departments to reduce re-offending and the cost of reoffending to society. It is only by working cross-government that we will be able to help ex-offenders secure employment, find a home, get treatment for a drug addiction and support for mental health issues. Further details will be announced in due course.

Prisons: Technology

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech of 6 March 2018 to the Royal Society of Arts on prison reform, if he will list the 30 prisons which will receive the new technology; how many prison officers in each prison will be nominated to use that technology; what additional training will be provided to those prison officers; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing that new technology.

Rory Stewart: The technology being introduced into prisons will allow for a much faster identification of threats to prison security, particularly the trafficking of drugs and other illicit items. It will allow the police to identify the criminal networks outside prisons involved in this activity. We are unable to list the exact locations of the technology and the number of officers in each prison who will be nominated to use it as this is operationally sensitive. However the locations are being chosen based on the threat they face from serious organised crime. I can confirm that all officers using the technology will attend a dedicated formal training course. The estimated full development and implementation costs of installing this technology is £250,000.

Verne Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when HMP The Verne is planned to re open.

Rory Stewart: The Verne, a former HM Prison and Probation Service operated immigration removal centre in Dorset, will reopen as a prison later this year and is expected to hold 580 adult men when at full capacity.

Prisons: Riot Control Weapons

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when it is planned for the Pava spray pilot be extended to (a) HMP Bedford and (b) other prisons.

Rory Stewart: The PAVA in Prisons pilot aims to understand whether a reactive presence and deployment of PAVA Spray in custodial settings can complement existing conflict resolution measures and reduce the levels of violence in Prisons to create a safer environment. The PAVA pilot will last for six months in HMP Hull, HMP Preston, HMP Risley and HMP Wealstun. Existing Band 3-5 Officers at the four sites are trained in its use and this is ongoing during the pilot period as new staff join the four sites. There is currently no decision on extending the number of prisons with PAVA. The evaluation will conclude in the summer and will inform any decision on the future introduction of PAVA to other prisons.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many acts of concerted indiscipline have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Incidents at height have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many tornado incidents have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Rory Stewart: I can confirm that there have been no Incidents at HMP Bedford since January 2018 requiring a response from Tornado Teams.We are currently considering proposals to publish information routinely on concerted indiscipline and incidents at height and will confirm such plans when a decision has been reached.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoner on prisoner assaults have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on staff have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Rory Stewart: Data on assaults in prison custody is published quarterly in the Safety in Custody statistics. Figures for the period in question will be published in July 2018. The most recent statistics were published on 25 January 2018 and cover assaults to September 2017. Figures for HMP Bedford can be found in the data tool: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/676164/assaults-data-tool.xlsx. We are investing £2million in body-worn cameras, which will act as a visible deterrent against violence and assist with prosecutions. We are also introducing new-style handcuffs and piloting PAVA incapacitant spray.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of cells being significantly damaged by prisoners have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Rory Stewart: There have been 40 cells taken out of service due to vandalism at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018. Currently, only 13 cells remain out of service (as at 8 March 2018). Alongside the establishment of Gov Facility Services Ltd, we are putting urgent activity in hand to reduce maintenance back-logs and improve cleanliness and decency starting with the highest-priority prisons.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many tornado transfers out have occurred at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Rory Stewart: There have been two occasions when Tornado transfers occurred out of HMP Bedford, since 1 January 2018. We can take preventive action to support stability in prisons and moving prisoners is one of the ways in which we can achieve this.

Bedford Prison

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the command suite has been opened at HMP Bedford since 1 January 2018.

Rory Stewart: The on-site Silver command suite at HMP Bedford has been opened five times since 1 January 2018 to deal with local incidents. The National Gold command suite has not been opened to deal with any incidents at HMP Bedford in this period.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of mental health services in prisons.

Dr Phillip Lee: Health services in prisons are commissioned by NHS England who are responsible for making assessments of the current provision of mental health assessments and treatment in the prison systems in England. In Wales health is devolved to the Welsh Government where separate arrangements are made for assessment. We take mental health provision very seriously and are committed to working closely with health partners in England and Wales to ensure that offenders are able to access the treatment and support required for their mental health needs. We recognise the importance of the prison environment on enabling better health outcomes. We are ensuring that each prisoner has a dedicated prison officer to support them and are implementing reforms to give all prisoners a key worker. This will help ensure that prisoners are better supported to attend scheduled health and mental health appointments and assessments to support their recovery. This will also ensure that a dedicated officer will be able to build a relationship with them and be in a better position to respond to changes in their behaviour or their mental well-being.

Victims' Commissioner: Finance

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the annual budget for the Office of Victim’s Commissioner was in each year since 2013.

Dr Phillip Lee: The annual budget - for the years 2013/14 to date - for the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner is set out in the table below:YearBudget 2013-14£265,0002014-15£474,0002015-16£474,0002016-17£500,0002017-18£496,000

Capita

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2018 to Question 126471, on Capita, what the responsibilities are of each of those subcontracting companies.

Rory Stewart: The responsibilities of the Subcontractors under the current Electronic Monitoring Contract (the Bridge Contract) are as follows: Supplier ResponsibilitiesVodafoneTask scheduling software for field officers, managed hosting of the services and support.G4SProvision of ICT Managed Service including the provision and management of the ICT infrastructure and telephony system, professional services for specialist support of the EM Software, Case Management Systems, Location Monitoring for Special Cases, Scheduling Systems and Document Management Systems.   In the Electronic Monitoring and Field Services Contract the responsibilities of the Capita subcontractor are as follows: Supplier ResponsibilitiesVodafoneThe provision of Hosting Infrastructure (Data Centres) and managed hosting services for Capita, Airbus and G4S. Note Capita are responsible for providing hosting services (through Vodafone) for all Lots requiring Hosting Infrastructure.

Ministry of Justice: Written Questions

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2018 to Question 126505, on Probation Hostels, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of answering that question.

Rory Stewart: For the first three months of 2010, provision of Approved Premises (AP), formerly known as Probation hostels, was the responsibility of local Probation Boards, a number of charitable trusts and a small number of Probation Trusts. From 1 April 2010 until 31 May 2014, AP were provided by the 35 Probation Trusts and a number of charitable trusts. To establish whether the Ministry of Justice retains the requested information relating to this earlier period and, if so, to locate, retrieve, extract, collate and process it, would involve a detailed search of an extensive range of archived material, which would be extremely labour-intensive. Providing the information sought in this Question would therefore involve costs of not less than £10,000.

Ministry of Justice: Public Opinion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2010.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2011.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2012.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2013.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2014.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2015.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spent on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2016.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spent on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polling in 2017.

Dr Phillip Lee: Information about how much money the Ministry of Justice has spent money in respect of focus groups and opinion polling each year since 2010 is not available as this information is not collected.

Cabinet Office

Carillion

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Official Receiver for Carillion is not allowed to sell  existing PFI contracts.

Oliver Dowden: It is the responsibility of the Insolvency Service and the Official Receiver to secure the best outcome for the delivery of public sector services and projects.

Carillion: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that major public sector construction projects in the West Midlands held byCarillionwill proceed as planned.

Oliver Dowden: I refer the Honourable Member to the Statement made to the House on Monday, 15 January 2018 by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Official Record, vol 634, col 624).

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October to Question 106493, on Cybercrime: USA, whether the National Cyber Security Centre will publish the outcome of its pilot; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Dowden: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) completed its vulnerability disclosure pilot in November 2017 and is currently reviewing the lessons learnt. NCSC aims to publish the details of the pilot, lessons learnt, blogs, and its rollout plans in April at the Government’s flagship cyber security event, CYBERUK 2018.

Carillion: Insolvency

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he made of the potential effect on jobs in deciding what support to offer to Carillion.

Oliver Dowden: Our top priority has been to safeguard the continuity of public services, rather than to bail out a commercial company. But of course we are mindful of the concerns of Carillion employees and we have made available a range of resources to those workers and businesses affected by Carillion’s liquidation who are seeking further information.

Carillion

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of Carillion’s compliance with the Prompt Payment Code.

Oliver Dowden: Holding answer received on 25 January 2018



The Prompt Payment Code is monitored by the Prompt Payment Code Compliance Board, under the auspices of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management.

Carillion

John Mann: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government took before Carillion was liquidated to ensure that SMEs would be paid by Carillion.

Oliver Dowden: Through the Public Contract Regulations 2015, public sector buyers must include 30-day payment terms in new public sector contracts; and require that this payment term be passed down the supply chain. Public sector buyers must also publish annually on their payment performance.We strongly encourage businesses to report poor payment practice and instances of late payment, including late payment through the supply chain, in public sector contracts to its Mystery Shopper service. Mystery Shopper will then investigate.

Carillion

Bill Esterson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2018 to Question 122773, on Carillion, how many of the 450 contracts with Government were (a) being delivered on schedule, (b) the subject of cost overruns and (c) the subject of unexpected delays.

Oliver Dowden: We have not had any significant performance issues on direct government contracts. Departments continually monitor the operational performance of contracts to ensure the best outcome for taxpayers. Public sector contracts with Carillion were not the principal cause of the company's financial difficulties.

Civil Servants: Equality

Afzal Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Civil Service Workforce Plan 2016-2020, what formal role will be given to staff networks to promote inclusivity on grounds of religion or belief.

Oliver Dowden: The Civil Service Workforce Plan 2016-2020 set out ambition to the UK’s most inclusive employer. To deliver this objective the Government published “A Brilliant Civil Service: becoming the UK’s most inclusive employer” in October 2017, which committed to focusing on religion, belief and non-belief as part of our wider approach to inclusion.This Strategy set out a commitment to work with staff networks in the Civil Service, including faith and belief networks, to provide advice and support on improving the experience of staff, as well as promoting interfaith dialogue and inclusion. They play an important role in contributing to the debate on what progress we should make and how; as well as providing peer support and advice to others, including Permanent Secretaries and senior leaders.

Civil Servants: Equality

Afzal Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what diversity and inclusion objectives on religion or belief were established by the civil service diversity champion as part of the workforce plan 2016-20.

Oliver Dowden: The Civil Service Workforce Plan 2016-2020 set out ambition to the UK’s most inclusive employer. To deliver this objective the Government published “A Brilliant Civil Service: becoming the UK’s most inclusive employer” in October 2017, which committed to focusing on religion, belief and non-belief as part of our wider approach to inclusion. A Civil Service Diversity Champion for Faith & Belief was appointed and an announcement made on her appointment as part of the communications that were rolled-out following publication of that Strategy.The role of the Diversity Champion is to promote and support interfaith dialogue and engagement across the Civil Service, and provide leadership and support on religion, belief and non-belief as part of our broader approach to inclusion.

National Security

Luke Pollard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure the National Security Capability Review prioritises the capability of the UK's defence; and if he will a statement.

Oliver Dowden: The National Security Council (NSC) has agreed the high-level findings of the National Security Capability Review (NSCR). Ministers have agreed that we should finalise the NSCR with a view to publishing a report in late spring. The NSCR considered threats and opportunities facing the UK. It integrates domestic, international and online security to tackle the increasingly interrelated and complex threats we face. It identified how we can use our national security capabilities more effectively and efficiently to achieve our three national security objectives: Protect our people; Project our global influence; and Promote our prosperity. The conclusions of the NSCR will be published in late spring. Defence played its full part in the review. As a result of high-level findings from the NSCR, the NSC commissioned a programme of work to modernise defence building on the National Security Strategy and the SDSR15. The aim of the Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) is to make sure that defence is sustainable and affordable and is configured to address the threats we face. The MDP will report to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Defence Secretary.

Cabinet Office: Recruitment

Jo Stevens: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which external recruitment agencies are used by his Department's non-departmental public bodies.

Oliver Dowden: The Cabinet Office has a framework of 6 executive agencies is available for senior recruitment across all Government departments and Arms Length Bodies. The agencies are Russell Reynolds, Odgers Berndtson, Gatenby Sanderson, Veredus, Carbon and Moloney Search. Arms Length Bodies are also able to contract external recruitment agencies through the Dynamic Purchasing System. The information is available here: http://ccs-agreements.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/contracts/ps-2016-ps-services

Cabinet Office: Fairtrade Initiative

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of his Department's spend on day-to-day goods has comprised fair trade products in each of the last eight years.

Oliver Dowden: The information requested is not held centrally.

Cabinet Office: Trade Unions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what percentage of workers employed directly by his Department belonged to a trade union in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Oliver Dowden: The Cabinet Office does not collect and retain information on trade union membership within the department.

Cabinet Office: Carillion

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which of his Department's contracts with Carillion since January 2016 were done with Open Book Contract Management.

Oliver Dowden: Since January 2016, no Cabinet Office contracts have been held with Carillion.

Government Departments: Hewlett-Packard

Sir Hugo Swire: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many contracts Hewlett Packard Enterprise has with the Government; and what the value of each of those contracts is.

Oliver Dowden: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Cabinet Office: Scotland

Deidre Brock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff his Department has in Scotland; where those staff are located; and what the roles of those staff are.

Oliver Dowden: The Department does not itself publish information about the geographic distribution of its workforce. The ONS, however, publishes regional workforce statistics each year as part of the Annual CS Employment Survey. The latest publication titled Civil Service Statistics (at 31 March 2017) is available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/bulletins/civilservicestatistics/2017/relateddata .

Cabinet Office: Internet

James Gray: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the value of his Department's contracts was with (a) Amazon Web Services, (b) Oracle Fusion, (c) Microsoft Azure, (d) Vodafone, (e) DXC, (f) SCC and (g) UKCloud in financial years (i) 2012-2013, (ii) 2013-2014, (iii) 2014-2015, (iv) 2015-2016 and (v) 2016-2017.

Oliver Dowden: Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

House of Commons Commission

House of Commons: Catering

Chris Stephens: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission takes to ensure all hospitality establishments on the Parliamentary Estate comply with (a) consumer protection regulations and (b) employment legislation in respect of tipping and gratuities; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Brake: Holding answer received on 12 March 2018



The Commission is responsible only for House of Commons catering services, which comply with all applicable legislation in relation to consumer protection regulations and the employment of its staff.